


Rapunzel Goes Home (Platinum Edition)

by BalunStormhands



Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: Rapunzel Goes Home (platinum edition)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-23
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2017-11-14 20:32:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 89
Words: 123,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BalunStormhands/pseuds/BalunStormhands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Disney, as usual, jumps right to the happy ending. They left some big gaps at the end of "Tangled". This is my attempt to fill them in.<br/>Once upon a time a young woman learned who she really was. Rapunzel and Eugene help the exhausted Maximus back to Corona. They are captured, Rapunzel declares herself the Lost Princess and they are returned to the Palace for testing. Rapunzel and her parents deal with her return and find Rapunzel has some issues because of her kidnapping. The king has to deal with Flynn Rider and the PubThugs. Rapunzel is official crowned as Princess of Corona with her full name. We see some of Rapunzel's adventures in the tower. Rapunzel and her family return to the Tower for closure. And they lived happily ever after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gothel Victorious

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Introduction: I really love Tangled, but Disney, as usual, skips right to the happy ending without dealing with all the steps the princess would have to go through to get there. 
> 
> What happened between the time Gothel announced she was the bad guy and Eugene finding Rapunzel in chains?
> 
> What kind of person was the girl Eugene thought he was rescuing? The clues he had were not pointing at Lost Princess.
> 
> What happened between Rapunzel and Eugene kissing in the tower and meeting her parents, the king and queen, at the balcony? 
> 
> A guard came and gave the King and Queen a nod. What did that mean? There was some kind of test the princess had to pass. That would mean that there had been other girls claiming to be the Lost Princess. What did that do to the King and Queen?  
> Rapunzel couldn’t be the princess’ real name.  
> What effect did the kidnapping have on the kingdom and her family?
> 
> Then there was another gap from there to the big party, but how did Eugene and the PubThugs end up not in prison? 
> 
> How does someone kept in a tower, raised by just one other person, and a chameleon handle becoming a princess? 
> 
> How does a kingdom handle having their princess return after all these years?
> 
> Rapunzel just wanted to see the floating lights, and all of the sudden she is a princess. How does she handle having lived her whole life inside a lie? What kinds of effects will Gothel's manipulations have on her?
> 
> Then there’s Gothel. How can you steal a baby yet care for her enough to give her a beautiful bedroom, teach her to never break promises, actually teach her prisoner to read (this is huge), share a ritual of love and yet love the hair more then the girl? Why, on earth, did Gothel teach Rapunzel not to break promises? Why is the hair so important to Gothel?
> 
> Rapunzel's going home story really starts when she realizes whom she really is and the lies are exposed to the light of day.
> 
> Let us begin. 
> 
> Once upon a time, a young woman learned who she really was...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gothel thinks she's won.

“I really did try, Rapunzel. I tried to warn you what was out there. The world is dark and selfish and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine, it destroys it.” Gothel knew that all too well. She pulled the curtains to Rapunzel’s room closed. 

She turned away from Rapunzel’s room, picked up the basket of flowers and started down the stairs. _‘The world might be terrible,’_ she thought, _‘but the tower was good and safe, for Rapunzel and herself. They had scoffed at her, even her own family, but she just waited like she always did, looking out over the sea.’_

_Poor Rapunzel had had her heart broken by a man. Gothel was sad about that. Her own heart waited on a man. Jonathan would be back, someday. She just had to wait for him, she had promised, and she does not break her promises. It was time for Rapunzel to know her story. Rapunzel was old enough to hear her story now; they shared something special, almost like a mother and daughter should. She would tell her story to Rapunzel over her birthday dinner. Well, breakfast, since it was morning._

Gothel crossed the tile floor to the window. She really liked the tower. She didn’t know how it came to be here, and it was oddly designed in places, but it was a wonderful place to be safe, free and happy. 

She had panicked at the thought of someone finding Rapunzel when that stupid palace horse jumped out at her. 

And someone had! The notorious Flynn Rider had stolen her Flower. 

She had almost lost it completely, her Flower was gone, but finding that satchel had been the greatest luck, almost like the universe wanted her to get her Flower back.

After recovering from the shock of finding the Crown of the Lost Princess, under the stairs leading to that person’s room, she had grabbed the dagger and set off to the rescue of her Flower again. She knew that Rapunzel would have no way to connect who she was to that crown, but it had been terrifying. 

She knew all about Flynn Rider from that ballad of his that always seemed to be playing at the taverns. The song said that he had penetrated a heavily guarded manor to seduce the daughter of an overprotective baron. Getting into the tower must have been an irresistible temptation to him. Finding poor, defenseless Rapunzel at the top must have seemed like quite the bonus. She would have fallen to his wiles so easily. He must have hidden that crown under the stairs, then seduced Rapunzel to leave the tower, so he could leave her lost and alone somewhere, so he could use the tower as a hideout.

She had to track them down and rescue her Flower, and she did, she was able to track those boots of Flynn Rider’s to the Snuggly Duckling. 

How dare he take her there! 

She had almost fainted at the sight of her Flower surrounded by all those knives, swords and axes; someone could have cut her hair. Admittedly, she had thought of taking Rapunzel there in case she every really wanted to leave the tower. That place was surely terrifying enough to scare her back to the tower.

She had wanted to just kill Flynn Rider, rescue her Flower and take Rapunzel home to the tower, when those brothers had come out of the secret passage. Again, luck was with her and they gave her the clues she needed to turn them against Flynn Rider, using them as muscle to do the work that needed to be done. 

The plan had changed so many times, but her goal had always been clear, to get Rapunzel back to the Tower where the hair would be safe.

It had taken all of her self-control not to faint when the brothers explained why they were all wet. They told her that the dam had broken and everyone, including Rapunzel, had been swept away in it. The power of the hair died if the hair was cut, she had to assume the power would too if Rapunzel died.

She and the brothers had followed the river, desperately searching for Rapunzel and lo, Rapunzel had signaled them herself, using the hair in the darkness, not even all that far away. Sweet relief had flooded her clenched stomach as she saw the glow reflecting over of the boulder and trees, like she was calling for Mother, but she didn’t want to go home.

“ _Flynn Rider had stolen her Flower’s heart. She had had an adventure,_ ” thought Gothel sarcastically. _“She had just gone to a lousy, broken-down, old pub, for goodness sake!”_

Somehow, her Flower had charmed all those ruffians in minutes. She was so proud of her little girl for that, but then she got away. Gothel wondered if she should do something about those thugs, she tapped her lips. _“They saw the hair, but didn’t know what it could do. Two-dozen thugs would be difficult to deal with ...maybe a fire.”_

They had followed them through the kingdom and when they went out on the little boat, she knew it was her chance. They had gone to the beach and waited. She sent those thugs to signal Flynn Rider and it had worked. 

It had been terrifying to watch them threaten her Flower, but they were distracted enough so she could knock them out. You didn’t live as long as she had, and not learn a few tricks about human anatomy. 

It had all worked out better then Gothel had hoped. Flynn Rider was in the hands of the palace guard with the crown in his hand, the brothers were knocked out and someone on a white horse was coming their way; so she didn’t even need to tell the guards about them directly and they were well known enough to be taken and hung immediately. Everyone who knew about the power of the Flower would be dead tomorrow, and she and her Flower would be safely back in the tower.

She had successfully rescued her Flower again!

Gothel threw the flowers out the window, where they fluttered down to the ground fifty feet below, and put the basket under the cloaks by the window. Humming about how mother knows best, she went over to the kitchen area to begin gathering the ingredients for the hazelnut soup.

Gothel was just opening the bag of hazelnuts, when a loud crash came from Rapunzel’s room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Gothel and the Stabbington brothers had to have been close to river and our heroes. There were only two minutes from the time when Rapunzel started the song and Gothel revealed herself. So they could only have been 500 yards away, at best. The hair also glowed quite a bit more brightly and differently than the campfire


	2. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was Gothel up to while Rapunzel was having her epiphany up in her room.

“ _It worked_!” Gothel exulted in her head, _“And far better then I had hoped, too.”_ Gothel tossed the flowers from Rapunzel’s hair out of the window; put the basket down by her cloak, and practically skipped to the kitchen. 

_“Her Flower, Rapunzel, had even said she had never wanted to leave the tower again, on the walk home, not as good as a promise, but close enough. They were safe, and the Flower was safe. They could wait for Jonathan and be happy together,”_ thought Gothel.

Gothel pulled out a bag of hazelnuts, getting things ready to make the hazelnut soup, she had promised Rapunzel for her birthday. It had been a terrifying adventure, but everything was as it should be now. 

Then there is a crash upstairs.

“Rapunzel!?” Gothel’s head jerks up as she drops the bag of hazelnuts on the table, a few spilling onto the table from the just opened sack. The curtain was closed and there was no reply. Gothel was concerned, “ _Rapunzel always answers promptly. Did she fall down and knock herself out?”_ Gothel strode to the stairs.

“Rapunzel, what’s going on up there?” Gothel called, climbing the stairs, concerned about her flower. Rapunzel opened her curtain in her hunched over posture, Gothel could see her mouth moving, but she doesn’t hear anything. Gothel hated that, it always feels like she’s being left out, but it’s the first sign of her rapid aging.

“Oh, please speak up Rapunzel. You know how I hate the mumbling.” Gothel said annoyed.

Rapunzel turns slightly and looks right at Gothel. “I am the Lost Princess! Aren’t I? Did I mumble, Mother? Or should I even call you that?” Rapunzel said clearly and loudly, as she stood straight and tall.

“ _She KNOWS_ ,” thought Gothel, her bowels going weak. “ _How!? Everything worked. She said she never wanted to leave the tower again. I’m gonna die, if she leaves me. I have to fix this; regain control. Make light of it! That’s worked most of the time._ ”

“Oh, Rapunzel, did you even hear yourself?” Gothel said, lightly, “Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?”

“It was you! It was all you!” Rapunzel said angrily to Gothel.

“Everything that I did was to protect… you,” said Gothel seriously. “ _All these years in the tower, all the love, all the time together, to protect my flower and stay alive, and to keep my promise to wait for him.”_

Rapunzel pushed Gothel away with a grunt and walks down the stairs.

“Rapunzel!” Gothel called, looking down, stepping carefully over the trailing hair, not wanting to hurt Rapunzel. Remembering those times her pet had cried so piteously, because she had accidentally stepped on her hair.

“I’ve spent my entire life hiding from people who would use me for my power…” fumed Rapunzel, as she glided down the stairs.

“Rapunzel!” Gothel tried to regain control of the conversation.

“…but I should have been hiding…” Rapunzel turned, in furious anger, at the base of the stairs, glaring up at the person she had always thought of as Mother, “from you!”

“Where will you go? He won’t be there for you,” said Gothel as she came next to her Flower.

“What did you do to him?” Rapunzel was hunching her shoulders, being more compliant. 

“That criminal is to be hanged for his crimes.” Gothel revealed.

“No.” Rapunzel hunched over, ready to be taken in hand again.

“Now, now, it’s all right. Listen to me. Everything is as it should be.” Gothel put out her hand to pat the precious hair and regain control.

“No,” Rapunzel caught Gothel’s wrist in a powerful grip. 

“ _Where did she get so strong?_ ” Gothel worried to herself as she struggles to get free, forgetting that Rapunzel had been lifting her from the ground for years now.

* * *

“You were wrong about the world. And you were wrong about me. And I will _never_ let you use my hair again!”

Rapunzel delivered the ultimate ultimatum, “ _Mother had taken me from my real parents. She had lied. She had just wanted me for her power. She was the bad one that she always told me about. She said she loved me most, but she lied about that too_!”

Gothel wrenched herself free from the suddenly strong arm of her Flower. She stumbled into the mirror and it crashed down, shards of glass spray across the floor.

Rapunzel moved regally toward the window, the way Out. “ _I mean it, I will never let Mother use my hair again. Mother had lied to me, betrayed me and sent Eugene to die_.” 

“You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I’m the bad guy,” said Gothel quietly, her eyes scanning the room quickly.

“ _I am a princess! There must be a way to save him if I can get back to the kingdom,_ ” thought Rapunzel fiercely, as she swept back her hand to gather her hair to take her away from the Tower. 

There was a flash of light, followed by a feeling of falling. Darkness came for Rapunzel as Gothel knocked her out with the frying pan.

* * * 

Rapunzel came to, lying on her side under the stairs. Her head ached. Quickly, she sang the healing incantation, healing herself as she has done so many times before. 

Her hands were chained behind her; the chain ran around the pillar holding up her balcony. Looking around she saw Mother is throwing things into a pack, preparing to leave. 

“Mother, what are you doing?” asked Rapunzel, scared of what the answer might be.

“Oh, good, you’re awake. We are leaving. We are going somewhere no one will ever find you, and we will be together forever,” said Gothel, kneeling in front of Rapunzel, explaining what’s going on in a kind voice, moving some hair that had fallen in front of Rapunzel’s face out of the way.

“No! I’ll never go with you.” Rapunzel shouted defiantly.

Gothel looked pained, got up and continues to pack, moving around the tower. “They’ll destroy you, like they did last time. They always destroy. Why do they always destroy? I nurtured you, protected you, for centuries.”

“They _stole_ you, you were mine, and I had to get you back. I was dying; I almost died, because they stole you. I can’t die, not yet, he isn’t back yet.” She put her hands on the table, holding herself up, looking down, panting, and remembering how close death had come, those icy hands on her hips.

Gothel turned to Rapunzel, her face stricken. “But I saved you, rescued you, I got you back. We’ll be safe and happy together. I would have been happy if I could have had a piece that would have kept me alive, but it didn’t work. I needed you; I had to take you back. I’m sorry, Flower.”

“I love you, so much. I took care of you; I nursed you. I won’t let them take you, not again. That was so horrible. I must have you. I need you.” Gothel pled.

“Mother, please, don’t do this!” begged Rapunzel from the floor in her chains. Rapunzel was scared. Scared worse then going Outside, even more then the wall of water at the dam.

Mother was talking and not making sense.

Something was wrong with Mother, and she wasn’t sure if her hair could fix it. She had healed Mother when they got back to the Tower. How could she be broken already? Rapunzel knew her hair couldn’t fix feelings, but what was happening with Mother felt different and new.

“Enough, Rapunzel! You cannot take the Flower from me! You Must Be Kept Safe!” shouted Gothel, just as they hear the sounds of hoofs in the canyon outside the tower. Gothel pulled out a handkerchief and gagged Rapunzel. 

“Rapunzel, let down your hair!”

“ _It’s Eugene. He came back. He does like me. He’ll save me._ ” Rapunzel thought.

Gothel thought for a moment, then gathered up the hair and threw it out of the window.

Gothel grabbed the knife off the table, and wrapped in her black cloak, she faded into the shadows next to the window. Rapunzel’s eyes, above her gag, filled with fear, as she begins to slide toward the window as Eugene pulled on her hair, the chain linking her to the pillar clanking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: There is an interesting little gap between when Rapunzel turns away from Gothel and when Eugene shows up. I explored that and found something interesting. Gothel is more interesting then she might first appear. 
> 
>  
> 
> There are some very significant words in Rapunzel’s mind: Mother, Punishment and Outside are the big ones. Mother is the one person in her life, Punishment is something bad that happens to her if she hurts herself and Outside contains everything she dreams of.
> 
>  
> 
> Gothel is beginning to lose it a little. Her big plan is falling apart and she might not be able to keep her promise. Promises are very important to Gothel, who else could have taught Rapunzel that?
> 
>  
> 
> Here’s something interesting. Gothel doesn’t seem to lie very much to Rapunzel. She could have lied and said outright that Rapunzel was not the Lost Princess, but she didn’t. Yes, she does lie. She did say all kinds of things to keep Rapunzel in the tower. Gothel biggest lie was saying she was Rapunzel’s mother, but why not more lies?
> 
>  
> 
> Rapunzel seems to have some kind of inertia-based superpower, because she is able to lift Gothel (a heavier) with a very simple pulley. Gothel is also very careful not to step on the hair, but we see that is painful for Rapunzel at the bridge.
> 
>  
> 
> Rapunzel gets stretched out between the hair and the chains with the weight of Eugene on her. She couldn’t set herself like she did for lifting Gothel. Eugene was climbing the hair and he was pulling her apart. Rapunzel is pain from that. Her scalp, neck, and shoulders are hurting quite badly.


	3. Leaving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel is upset that Eugene left her. Eugene finds a word that hurts Rapunzel.

Rapunzel was kissing Eugene on the floor of the tower. He was alive again! He was holding her wonderfully close. Rapunzel had wanted to kiss Eugene so often and now she finally was. It was the most wonderful kiss in the whole world. 

Eugene was back after leaving her on the beach and dying on the floor. Her heart felt like, like…

Rapunzel broke free and started hitting Eugene repeatedly with her small fists, the pain of her neck and shoulders lancing down her spine. “You left and you ripped my heart in half and left it on the beach! You died and you ripped my heart out of my chest! I had nothing left to live for! You keep leaving me! Why do you do that!? Stop doing that!” Tears fly from her face as she continued hitting Eugene.

The look on Rapunzel’s face hurt him so much. Catching her wrists, the shackle clanking, Eugene said, “Please, Rapunzel, I didn’t want to leave you either time. I was trying to save you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“And you cut off my hair, I couldn’t save you. You died, and you took my heart with you,” she cried, wincing at the pain from her wrists.

“I know, I’m sorry, but your mother was killing everyone who knew about you and your hair. I was sure you were next. I couldn’t let you keep that promise. I couldn’t save you myself anymore, but you are so amazing. I had to give you a chance to live free; it was all I could do to help you. To keep you alive.” He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them.

“Mother wouldn’t have killed me. She needed me, well, my hair, to stay young and alive.” Rapunzel suddenly wasn’t sure if Mother really did need her alive for her hair to heal her. That thought sent a chill down her aching spine.

“Young?” Eugene let go of Rapunzel and hitched himself up on the banister.

“Yes, she ages very quickly, and if I sing my special song she is young and beautiful again.”

“Okay,” said Eugene, slowly, not sure what that meant. She healed his hand, but it was obviously important. 

He looked around quickly, “Wait, where is she?” 

Rapunzel’s face fell and then she looked out the window. “After you cut my hair she started to age very quickly, she kept getting older and older, I never saw her that old before. She was screaming, her hair went all bluey-white, her face and eyes got all sunken, and her skin became wrinkled and transparent, and then she began to crumble like chalk. Pascal tripped her out the window, and she was screaming, screaming.” Rapunzel shivered, she put her hands over her ears and Eugene caught her up into a hug. 

“I didn’t want her to die. I couldn’t help her without my hair. I was too far. I couldn’t catch her. I’m sorry. I’m a bad girl. I’m sorry,” she sobbed. 

“It’s going to be okay,” said Eugene, trying to comfort his true love.

Pascal limped over and touched her. “Thank you Pascal, you were so brave to try and stop Mother.” 

“Good job, frog,” said Flynn.

“Chameleon,” corrected Rapunzel quietly.

“Nuance,” smiled Eugene. Rapunzel gave a weak smile back from the comfort of his chest. 

Soon Rapunzel sat up. Eugene took her by the shoulders, looked into her great green eyes and said, “I love you, so much.” The pain he saw in those beloved eyes are like a dozen swords through his chest.

Rapunzel looked away, out the window. “Please, don’t say that to me right now. Mother told me that all the time and it was just a lie to keep me here.”

“Okay, okay,” said Eugene, his own heart breaking. He never wanted to hurt her or let her be hurt again; she had been through so much. 

He thought fast to try to have something, some words that could be associated with love. “You are my new dream.”

Rapunzel turned to look into his eyes. “And you are mine,” she whispered back, and she laid herself back on his chest. 

For a minute there, she had wanted to join Eugene in death. She had understood there were parents out there who loved her and wanted her back, but everyone she had ever known and loved had been dead in front of her. As long as Eugene lived, so would she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's emotions are a little out-of-control right now. Mother Gothel told Rapunzel her whole life that she loved her most, that ritual of love they had. But Rapunzel knows it for a lie now. Rapunzel is beginning to realize her whole life was a lie. That is very difficult for her to deal with.


	4. I Am The Lost Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel tells Eugene who she is.

Rapunzel just held on to Eugene for a while. She could see Pascal looking worriedly at her. She looked around the Tower, the pictures she had painted, the candles and other things she had made. She had lived here her entire life, but it was only her prison. Mother kept her here because of who she was. 

After a while, Rapunzel sat up again, from being cradled in the arms of her new dream. She looked at him directly and said, “Eugene, I have something to tell you.”

Eugene’s skin got goosebumps all over, those were never good words. “Yes?” he asked cautiously. He could guess what was coming next, from all the magical things she had done on their adventure.

“I’m the Lost Princess.”

“I..., ah, what!? You’re _who_!?” Eugene eyes nearly bugged out of his head. She was supposed to have told him she was a witch. With the glowing hair thing, she _had_ to be a witch or something, not the Lost Princess.

“Eugene, I am the Lost Princess,” she said again more slowly.

“And how did you figure _that_ out?” asked Eugene, feeling like he’d been smacked with a frying pan, again.

“That little sun banner you gave me. I was holding it up and then I started seeing suns all over my room, suns I had painted into all my painting, all my life. Then I had a vision of the king and queen and a memory of the people on the wall in the square and the crown on my head. I confronted M...mother about it and she didn’t deny it,” said Rapunzel, as her lip began to quiver.

“She kidnapped me. She stole me for my hair and said she loved me most, but she didn’t. She was going to take me away again. She killed you.” Rapunzel fell into his arms again.

“It’s going to be okay. She’s gone. I’m here. She’s gone,” said Eugene as he gently rocked her. 

Rapunzel nodded, but continued to cry. Pascal climbed up on Eugene’s shoulder so Rapunzel could see him in a distressed mauve, and know that he loved her still. She gave him a rub on the eye ridges.

“So, Rapunzel, do you happen to have a key to these?” Eugene shook the shackle chaining him to the stairs, trying to change the subject. The guards had emptied his pockets; he didn’t have his lock picks anymore.

“No, but I saw ...Mother... put it in her bodice.” Rapunzel looks to the window, biting her lip. She left Eugene tense and she began to worry, if she had done something wrong.

Eugene stifled the string of curses he wanted to shout. Sending Rapunzel to loot the body of the person she had always known as mother was terrible. “I’m sorry. I know it’s asking a lot, but we need the key so we can all leave together. We need to get you back to your real parents. They love you. I know they do. They’ve sent up those sky lanterns every year to try to call you home. I know you want to answer that call, you tried but you didn’t know. It will make all of you so happy. Here, take Pascal with you.”

Eugene scooped the chameleon from his own shoulder and put him on Rapunzel’s.

“You can do this.” Eugene said encouragingly. He wanted to do anything and everything he could to protect her, but now she had to go save him again, before he could help her. He cursed himself for being such a helpless loser.

Rapunzel nodded. She got up and moved to the window, reaching behind herself for her hair, but her hand came back empty. She stared at her hand for a moment.

“You might want to take the stairs, it would be easier then climbing.” Eugene said, encouragingly. He was worried about her. He didn’t want her falling, if there was an easier way.

Rapunzel gave herself a shake and went down the ladder to the stairs. It was dark, but she wasn’t scared. She had climbed these stairs only hours ago, with Mother. It was safe, but she went slowly, with her hands on the walls. 

Rapunzel stopped at the base of the stairs, looking out the door into the bright sunlight, not sure what she was feeling anymore. She was going to leave the Tower. She hadn’t promised to stay, but she had been hurt so badly last time she left. 

Eugene needed the key. She stepped Outside, blinking in the sunlight.

Soon she could see normally and went around the base of the Tower to the pile of dust-covered clothes that had once been Mother. She had seen Mother’s hands begin to crumble as she had fallen from the window. She had expected Mother to have shattered into large chunks -- like a dropped stick of chalk -- but whatever had happened to Mother, had consumed her completely.

As Rapunzel knelt, she felt so strange about Mother now, she wasn’t sure how to sort it out: Hate, love, fear, and affection.

Eugene needed the key. Rapunzel bit her lip. Slowly she reached out and took hold of the neck of the red dress and lifted. There was a glint of metal and she slowly reached in and picked up the key. She snatched it out and let the dress fall again. 

Rapunzel shivered uncontrollably for a moment, then turned as she heard something behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: From Eugene’s point of view all the clues that Rapunzel were giving off pointed to her being a witch, enchantress, fairy or some kind of magical being. The Lost Princess wasn’t supposed to have major magical powers and that threw him. Do you think even Flynn Rider wouldn’t have dragged Rapunzel straight to the palace if he figured out she was the Lost Princess? He could ask for nearly anything including a pardon and get it.
> 
> I added Rapunzel seeing Gothel begin to crumble, so she knew something was happening to Gothel. The movie isn’t exactly clear but it seems logical enough that she would start crumbling even before falling. Then I dropped a piece of chalk and the old creative juices got a boost.


	5. Maximus is in Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max is exhausted. Rapunzel tries to help but she learns she has no healing power left.

\- Rapunzel Goes Home (platinum edition)  
\- Chapter 005  
~ Max is in Trouble

Rapunzel heard slow hoofbeats behind her and a sweet, pungent, slightly sharp smell enveloped her. She turned and saw Max come staggering around the Tower, his head down, his breath coming in pants through his flared nostrils and he looked like he was covered in soap suds. “Oh, no. Max! What’s wrong?”

{Ran fast. Help you. So far. So tired. Help me. Go home. Please.} Panted Max to Rapunzel. Max had overshot the Tower when Eugene leapt off of his back. He had almost ended up in the lake, but after stopping, all the running from the past three days caught up to him and he was staggering back to the base of the tower. He had stopped when someone, a woman from the sound of the scream, but not Rapunzel, had fallen from the tower. He had risked approaching again when he saw Rapunzel come out, but she had gone the other way around the tower.

“I can help you, Maximus. This should be easy,” said Rapunzel confidently. Rapunzel transferred the key to her left hand, swept back her right hand for her hair and it came back empty again. She looked at her empty hand trying to comprehend why it kept doing that. She clenched her fist around empty air, tears came to her eyes, as she remembered that Eugene had just cut off her magic hair. 

“I’m sorry, Max. I can’t help you. Eugene cut off my magic hair. What can I do? What can I do?” She looked around; she had never fixed things like this any other way.

Pascal touched her face. “Yes, Pascal?”

Pascal pointed to his eye.

“Wait, I healed Eugene with my tears, maybe they can help you too.”

She held Maximus’ head and called up the terrible memories of the past few minutes: Mother’s terrible betrayal, her death, and Eugene’s death. Soon she is panting from reliving the pain. The tears flowed from her eyes and dripped onto his forehead, and she sang:

“Flower gleam and glow  
Let your power shine  
Make the clock reverse  
Bring back what once was mine  
What once was mine

Heal what has been hurt  
Change the fates’ design  
Save what has been lost  
Bring back what once was mine  
What once was mine.”

But there was no glow, and Max continued to pant through his red nostrils and his head was still down. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Max. It didn’t work. My gift is gone. I don’t know what to do. Nothing works anymore.” Despair colored Rapunzel’s words. Rapunzel felt her heart crumple under the weight of another loss. She fell to her knees. She lost so much. She even made herself relive all that terrible pain to try and help Max, but it didn’t work.

Pascal squeaked and pointed up, {Eugene can help.}

Rapunzel lifted her tear stained face to look at Pascal. “Oh, yeah, Eugene might know what to do.”

She levered herself off of the ground, the terrible weight of her losses making it hard to want to get up. She had to help Eugene and Max. She stumbles around and back up the tower. 

* * *

Rapunzel popped her head out of the trapdoor and finds Eugene sitting with his back to the banister, looking worried. The welcoming smile on Eugene’s face drops off as he sees her tear stained face as she climbs up the ladder.

“Eugene, Max is not looking well. Something’s wrong with him, and I can’t heal him. He’s really tired,” said Rapunzel.

“Oh, no. I asked him to show me how fast he could run and I guess he did. Is his head down?” Eugene asked.

“Yes, and panting too,” said Rapunzel, as she worked the key into the lock.

“Okay, we’ll need to rub him down with wool to get the sweat off of him so he doesn’t cool too fast. He should have something to eat too, like apples. The stream has plenty of water for him to drink.” Eugene said as the shackle came free.

“The apples are in that barrel. I can get the winter blankets, they are wool, is that good enough?” Eugene nods and Rapunzel padded up to her room on her bare feet, careful to step around the shards of the mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Eugene might be a thief but knows enough to of how to take care of a horse to help Maximus. Maximus has been going at it for three days now: chasing Flynn, searching the forest, swordfighting, swimming though a dam break, staying up all night searching for Flynn, escorting Flynn and Rapunzel, not eating some apples, capturing the Stabbington brothers, getting the PubThugs, rescuing Flynn, racing to the tower as fast as he can. 
> 
> He’s got to be exhausted. He’s so strong and powerful, but there are limits for everyone, even him. Frankly, he’s done quite a bit more then a typical horse can do. He just finally hit the wall. Basic equine first aid would be to towel him off and give him some food and water.


	6. Rapunzel Starts Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene and Rapunzel help Maximus as best they can and start back to the kingdom.

Eugene pulled the saddle and other tack off of Maximus, as Rapunzel started rubbing down the worst of the lather from between Max’s rear legs. 

Rapunzel’s neck and shoulders ache from enduring Eugene climbing up her hair without her being ready for it, and from Gothel pulling on her chains so hard. Max had asked for help, he sounded so tired. It was so important to help Max, and it was something that allowed her to not think. Rapunzel didn’t want to think too much about what had just happened. Thinking brought back the pain of loosing nearly everything.

By the time they were done rubbing him down Max was looking better, but still seemed very tired. The apples Pascal fed him from the basket were helping, too.

“Well, that’s the best we can do for him with what we have. We are going to have to get him back to the palace where they can take proper care of him, but it will take most of the day to get there. We’ll have to walk him slowly so he doesn’t get hurt,” said Eugene as they had rubbed off the last of the sweat with Rapunzel’s wool winter blankets. 

Eugene looked up, it was still pretty early in the day, they may be able to make it to the palace before dark if they don’t get sidetracked, like they did last time. They’d have to go slow, it would be more then a shame to have Max fall and break a leg after all he did to save the princess. He didn’t deserve to die, not now, not from something so prosaic. 

Rapunzel nodded, she was working on Max’s side so she wouldn’t have to look at Mother’s dust and clothes at the base of the tower behind her. Her tower soared beautifully into the sky behind her, but the thought of it and what it had meant to her life, hurt too much for her to look at it. It hadn’t been her home, but her prison.

Each beat of her heart bled pain.

“Can you make it to the stream for a drink?” Eugene asked Max. Max nodded, but his legs looked wobbly and he kept his knees locked. They slowly walk to the stream. 

Keeping her head down, Rapunzel went back and carefully folded the sweat soaked blankets and looking at the ground she put them in the stairwell, thinking it would take a lot of washing to get out the smell when she got back. She walked back to Eugene and Max without seeing her prison. She could see Max had his muzzle in stream halfway up to his eyes and hear him gulping water.

“You know, he is a very smart horse,” Eugene told Rapunzel. “He got the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling to break me out of prison and then ran me here as fast as he could. After chasing me for the last couple of days, I am not surprised he’s tired.” 

“You’re a good, brave horse. Thank you.” Eugene addressed Max, giving him a pat on the neck.

Max nuzzled Eugene back. Max liked Eugene, he was a good rider, not like Flynn, and they had saved the girl.

“And we have to get you back to the palace too, since you are the Lost Princess.” Flynn said to Rapunzel, not bothering to resist dropping a bombshell on Maximus. Rapunzel raised her eyebrows at Eugene.

Max gave Eugene a sharp look and an inquisitive whicker.

“Well, that is what she told me, after she brought me back from being dead.” Eugene gave a big Flynn smile to lighten the mood. Max gave him a disbelieving look and turned to look at Rapunzel. Rapunzel gave Eugene a chiding look.

“It’s true. I figured it out this morning. I confronted Mother about it and she didn’t deny it,” said Rapunzel, confidently, but a little sadly.

Max stared at her for a moment and then wrapped his neck around her as a hug. Rapunzel hugged him back. Max began to walk away from the stream, leading the way home and back to the palace with his head held higher. The king and queen needed to have their filly back. 

“So you said something about healing me with your tears and trying to heal Max with them too?” Asked Eugene.

“Well, that is all I can think it was. I tried the incantation, but it wasn’t working. Then you stopped me and told me I was your new dream,” Rapunzel clasped his hand close to her, “and I said you were mine, and then you died. I finished the incantation and I started crying. I had just lost everyone in my life, Mother and you. I couldn’t fix it. It hurt so much, like my heart was ripped from my chest. Then lights started to come from your wound and surrounded us, after they faded you started breathing again.” She smiled, but then her face fell. “But I think that was the last bit of magic in me. I tried crying and singing to heal Maximus, but nothing happened.” She gave poor exhausted Max a rub on the neck. 

“I’m sorry, but we’ll be fine,” said Eugene, wondering if what he had done, had been the right thing to do. It had been the only thing he could think of. Rapunzel looked so exhausted.

They passed into the Exit. 

“So, Rapunzel, are you going to go all bipolar on me this trip, too?” asked Eugene, his voice echoing in the cave, as they passed under the mountain.

Rapunzel raised her head, giving him a puzzled look, and moving a lock of stray brown hair from her face. 

“Are you going to climb a tree happy as a squirrel with a walnut and then bang your head on the trunk moaning about what a terrible daughter you are or roll down a hill squealing with laugher only to end up face down at the bottom saying how despicable a human being you are?” Eugene explains, his hands waving in the air.

“I don’t know. Leaving the tower the first time made me feel so strange. But now, I lost and gained so much in so short a time that I am not sure how I feel, except so very tired. We walked home last night without stopping,” said Rapunzel trying not to drag her feet.

Eugene is trying to lead them back to the road, the tracks he and Max had left were blatantly obvious. They have to pick their way around trees and bushes, trying to find smooth paths for Max to take.

After a while Rapunzel asked, “Eugene, how am I going to meet my parents? Do I just go up to the palace and announce that I am the Lost Princess?” 

“I guess. I know more about the… your... crown than about that. You can announce yourself to any guard and they will take you to the palace. I do know that there have been girls who’ve claimed to be the Lost Princess, usually at the bridge or the doors to the palace. But they weren’t able to pass the test and got sent away.” Eugene explained. His stomach was clenched tight.

Eugene was pretty sure some guards would be showing up soon, the tracks Max and he had left were as clear as day. It was probably taking them some time to get the horses saddled and going. If Rapunzel really was the Lost Princess, she had to return to the palace. The reward was substantial, but he didn’t want the reward anymore. He could ask for a pardon, but he wanted something worth far more than that. The king couldn’t give him what he most wanted right now. But maybe Rapunzel’s father could.

“Test, what test?” Rapunzel’s hands groped near her shoulder. 

“I haven’t the slightest idea. It wasn’t something I needed to know when I was stealing your crown.”

“Hmm, well, I think the biggest problem will be getting you in. Everyone still sees you as Flynn Rider, wanted thief and now escaped prisoner.” Rapunzel stated and Pascal squeaked affirmatively.

“No problem, we’ll have Max here capture me and take me in.” Eugene said confidently, with a pat on Max’s neck.

“They’ll throw you in the dungeon and then hang you.”

Eugene considered for a moment, “Okay, bad plan, but that was just first try. Give me a minute.”

Clip, clop, clip, clop…

“Well?”

“I’m thinking!”


	7. Taken To The Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guards find Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in the forest.

Rapunzel, Pascal, Eugene and Maximus walked through the forest. Rapunzel feeding Max another apple from the basket dangling from her elbow, trying to keep him walking.

They froze when a squad of palace guard came pounding through the forest following Max’s trail. Eugene pushed Rapunzel behind him as the guards surround them, pointing their Mark IV double recurve crossbows at him.

“We have you now, Flynn Rider!” Growled a guard. Eugene slowly eased his hands up, he could feel the anger of the guards, though he was not surprised by it.

“Eugene?” asked Rapunzel worriedly, reaching for some hair that wasn’t there, looking around, not sure what is going on, but it felt so dangerous. Pascal ducked behind her neck.

“How sure are you that you are the Lost Princess?” Eugene asked quietly, over his shoulder.

“Totally sure,” said Rapunzel, but her shaking voice betrays her confident words, as she looks at all the surrounding guards.

“You better be, or there’ll be no coming back from the dead again. Slowly raise your hands too and tell them you’re the Lost Princess.” Eugene said.

“I am the Lost Princess!” Rapunzel called, raising her arms like Eugene had, the apple basket hitting her side.

A hard frown forms on the face of the guard sergeant. His eyes narrowing down the sights of his crossbow. “This is low, even for you, Flynn Rider. First you steal the Crown of the Lost Princes, making the king cry. Then you break out of prison before we can properly hang you. And now you are going to hide behind a girl.” 

“It’s the truth,” said Rapunzel, slightly insulted that anyone would doubt her.

The guard’s eyes shifted to her. “You’re not even blonde. Do you understand the penalty for failing the Test of the Lost Princess?”

“Uh, no,” Rapunzel replied honestly.

“Immediate banishment on pain of death.”

Rapunzel eyes went wide and she stepped closer to Eugene, so her body touched his. She didn’t know what banishment was, she just hoped it hurt less then a Punishment, but death was not something she wanted anymore, not with Eugene here.

“However, you are under our protection until you do fail the test, and so is anyone with you.” The sergeant said resentfully, and lowered his weapon, very slowly. The rest of the guards move their crossbows to their hips, pointed up and safe.

“Okay, Rider, we’ll follow our laws, even if you don’t. You get a few more hours of life. That’s okay. Enjoy them, you’ll hang in the end anyway,” said the sergeant to Eugene, one dashed bar on his collar, moving his crossbow to his hip.

Rapunzel looked worriedly at Eugene, but Eugene was standing tall with cocky confidence even with his hands up, just as Flynn Rider would have done.

“Maximus, how did you get involved with all this?” asked the sergeant. 

Maximus touched his nose to Rapunzel, who gave him a reassuring pat.

“The girl? You think she’s the Lost Princess, too?” Max nodded. The sergeant looked thoughtful, then said, “Come on boys, let’s take this ‘princess’ and Flynn Rider to the palace. Keep your eyes peeled, he may have something planned for an escape.” There had been a few girls that had claimed to be the Lost Princess in company of criminals, more often then not the girl was a hostage. The criminals would think that the guards would let their guards down and try to escape, but so far no criminal had escaped after taking refuge behind a false princess. 

And Flynn Rider will most definitely not be the first.

“Don’t try to escape, Rider. You’ve already been sentenced to death, we can do it out here and just take your head back to the king, that’s all he really wants of you. And don’t expect your buddies, the Stabbington brothers to rescue you, they’re in the prison already.”

“Yes, I saw them there,” said Eugene. “They’re the reason I came for the girl.” Eugene had thought they had taken Rapunzel as a slave. Then he found them in the prison, the emotions stirred by seeing them was beyond anger and Dirk told him that the old lady told them about the hair. The old lady had to be Rapunzel’s “mother” who seemed to be killing everyone who knew about the hair. He knew Rapunzel was powerful magical being, but she was so naive her “mother” might be able to kill her before Rapunzel could work out how to defend herself.

The sergeant looked at the man who had been Flynn Rider, puzzled for a moment then turned his horse to lead the way back to the palace. 

Eugene lowered his arms, Rapunzel following his lead. “Sir, we need to go slowly, Max exhausted himself and isn’t doing so well.”

The sergeant looked over his shoulder with a frown, but he could also see the lathering on the other horses of his team and they had started out fresh this morning. He knew the Captain of the Guard had lead the search for Flynn Rider on Maximus. The sergeant was actually surprised that Maximus was still going as much as he was. 

They had run down to the stables and saddled up as fast as they could, to chase after Flynn Rider. Just about everyone had stood down after Rider and the Stabbington brother’s were successfully captured, to rest, then the prison break had happened. He and his men had pushed their horses to the limit chasing after Flynn Rider, but once they had made it to the dirt of the road, the tracks Maximus had left were easy to follow, even more so once he had left the road. 

He nodded and also decided to walk the horses of their team. Their horses needed to be taken care of too, but he didn’t have any supplies to do anything. They would rest at the tops of hills so Max and the other horses could recover from the climb. 

Maximus was trying to take it easy, but he knew they had to get the Lost Princess home. Max hadn’t slept much over the past couple of nights, chasing Flynn Rider all over the countryside. The gallop he had given Eugene really was as fast as he could run. He hadn’t thought to hold anything back for the trip home.

* * *

“Why does the kingdom look so sad?” Rapunzel asked quietly, looking around the guards surrounding them, at the city. There were so few flowers and no banners today, not like yesterday. The people weren’t smiling as much, and even the buildings looked grayer somehow. She had been looking forward to coming back to the wonderful sights, but it looked so different and sad today.

“Yesterday was the Lost Princess’ ...your... birthday. They try to be happy about the celebration, but the heart went out of everyone after you were taken. It’ll be good for everyone when you are home and officially recognized,” replied Eugene somberly.

They stopped in front of the palace, more guards came down for the prisoners and grooms came out for the horses. Max didn’t want to go. He wanted to stay with Rapunzel.

“It’s okay Max,” said Rapunzel, giving Max a pat. “You need to rest and be taken care of. I’ll be fine. Eugene will watch out for me.” Pascal waved to Max from her shoulder. Max nodded sadly, he wanted to protect Rapunzel himself, but Eugene would have to be good enough.

“Please, take good care of him, he ran really fast to save the Lost Princess,” said Eugene to the groom, also giving Max a pat on the side. “We rubbed him down with wool and gave him a couple of dozen apples and water. He’s a good horse.” The young groom looked startled. The Flynn Rider was actually talking to him.

Max watched as Rapunzel and Eugene were lead into the palace, surrounded by the guards. 

The doors closed with a heavy, reverberating thud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gothel gave Rapunzel a Punishment, a terrible beating really, when Rapunzel hurt herself, thinking it was a suicide attempt. It spiraled out of control, but Rapunzel will never hurt herself. She is also confused about the idiomatic phrasing the guard used.


	8. The Testing Chamber

Rapunzel, Eugene and the escorting palace guards walked into the Lost Princess Testing Chamber, which was just a couple of doors in from the main entrance on the left.

Rapunzel was curious, she’d never seen a Testing Chamber before. There was a person in a red and black uniform with a funny little cylindrical hat by the door. The rectangular room was a little bigger then her tower had been. There were tall windows looking outside and a marble fireplace. There was a table and several chairs around it. 

Rapunzel wondered why most of the buildings and rooms seemed to be rectangles when the Tower was round with round rooms. The palace did have a few towers she had seen coming in, she wondered if they were as comfortable as her tower.

The walls were white with fancy borders. She wondered why they weren’t painted like her tower was. It looked so plain and bare, but they just called to be painted. 

Rapunzel realized that she should have brought her paint box. She realized, with some concern, that she hadn’t brought anything from the tower, but the clothes she was wearing, the little sun banner Eugene had given her in her pocket, and the basket of apples they had been feeding Maximus on her elbow.

She wanted her things now. Especially Joey, her doll, but didn’t know if she ever could ever go back and get her. She was glad Mother didn’t actually fry Joey in the frying pan when she was telling her about the cannibals that would kill and eat her.

She looked around the beautiful room, but staying close to Eugene, who had walked to the table. If she failed, Eugene would die again. She would be banished, whatever that was -- she hoped it wouldn’t hurt as much as a Punishment -- and killed too. She didn’t want to die anymore, but she would rather die with Eugene then live without him. Her hands began to grope around her shoulder, looking for some hair to worry. 

Pascal nuzzled her cheek, and she gave him a scratch under the chin.

“This is the Testing Chamber, M’lady,” the sergeant began politely. They were under orders to be polite to any claiming to be the Lost Princess, but it was hard with Flynn Rider right there.

“Don’t even think of trying to get away, Rider. We’ll be right here keeping an eye on you,” growled the Palace Guard sergeant. Flynn had been a major nuisance for some time, but stealing the Crown of the Lost Princess had been too much. He was now officially the second most wanted criminal in the kingdom, right behind the kidnapper of the Lost Princess. He already had a death warrant on his head.

The person by the door cleared his throat. Everyone turned to him. 

Rapunzel wondered if he must be a different kind of guard, but he didn’t have a metal shirt, helmet or sword, but she could see he did have long, hard bulges on the outsides of his thighs. He cocked an eyebrow at the other guards. 

“And, ah, we’ll be doing that from just outside,” said the Palace Guard sergeant, hastily, as he and the other palace guards filed out the door. 

* * *

The flunky then looked at Eugene, who put his arms out protectively and stood between the guard and Rapunzel. 

“I’m not going to try anything. She _is_ the Lost Princess,” said Eugene, feeling things had escalated in a way he didn’t understand. A squad of armed and armored Palace Guard had just given ground to what looked like an unarmed and unarmored palace flunky.

The guard looked over his shoulder at Rapunzel, smiled slightly and gave her a small respectful nod. Then he sort of relaxed and stopped looking right at anything, but still seemed well aware of what was going on. Rapunzel came out from behind Eugene and they shared a look. 

Eugene kept his eyes on the guard. He had dismissed the guard by the door when they had come in as a flunky. He knew there were a few of them in the palace, but since they didn’t seem to be guarding the crown, hadn’t given them much thought. That might have been a mistake, he suddenly wanted to know a lot more about these guards. He was sure it would take more then a frying pan to take out this guard. A lot more.

Just then the doors opened again and two new people came in.


	9. The Seneschal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We met the seneschal of the kingdom of Corona and a maid. They are recurring characters so we have to meet them and begin to get to know them. Seeing some of the story from his point of view.

Mortimer Danberry, seneschal to the kingdom of Corona, was walking to the Testing Chamber, because another Lost Princess candidate had come to the palace. 

Mortimer had been in the service to the Crown for nearly 30 years, and had worked very hard for them. He was a rotund man with a fringe of gray hair around his balding head. 

His princess warning network -- a series of observant people around the city, to warn him of incoming princess claimants -- had sent a message. They had warned him that some guards were escorting a declared princess, in the company of Flynn Rider no less.

He had expected one yesterday, as there had been several sightings of a girl with blonde hair that had looked like a princess candidate, also with Flynn Rider. His own youngest brother had run into that one near the bridge, she had very long blonde hair. But the patrols hadn’t found Rider.

Mortimer let out a sigh as he passed a large tapestry of the royal family, including the baby princess. Screening the princess candidates was emotionally challenging. Everyone missed the Lost Princess. So much work, prayer and fasting had gone into just getting the Queen to conceive, she had lost so many babies and then she had gotten deathly sick. 

He had even led the search parties for the magic, golden flower just over 18 years ago now. “That had been a grand time,” he thought. The beloved queen had been so sick. They had learned of the magic flower from a young maid. He and the Captain of the Guard had mobilized their people and then word had gotten out and almost the entire kingdom had turned out to search for that fairy tale flower. It had taken every ship and boat they had to transport them all. 

And they had found it and saved the queen. The baby was born hale and healthy. It had all been worth it. The kingdom had rejoiced.

But then the Kidnapper took the beloved child. Again he had led search parties, the entire kingdom had mobilized themselves again out of love for the grieving royals. He was sure they had left no stone unturned to find the Lost Princess. 

He had personally tracked down every report of an old woman with a blonde baby. There had been one at some falling over tavern with a duck. But it could not possibly have been the kidnapper, she was far too young to have been the perpetrator. He hadn’t even bothered to turn back the blanket covering the baby. 

After a year they had finally given up, but following the queen’s suggestion they sent up sky lanterns to signal the Lost Princess to come home. It was the knotted end of hope, but there was nothing left for them to do. He had made sure all trade delegations included a couple of people tasked to search for the Lost Princess.

He shook his head, meeting these false princesses always brought up the old memories.

So much wishing, faith and work had been expended in the kingdom and it kept coming to naught. Hope within the kingdom had been dashed. He’d have to talk to the king and queen soon about the succession. With no heir, the kingdom would have to be joined with some other kingdom, or they’d be invaded. 

With a clatter of shoes, a chambermaid with apron strings tied across her chest, came pelting around the corner and almost ran into him. With a grunt, he caught the skidding girl, ”Margaret, what is it, child?”

“I heard there is a princess candidate. I am to attend my post in the Testing Chamber. It’s my first day for that duty.” Margaret said breathlessly, moving some of the dark blonde hair that had come loose from her bun from her face.

“Very well, but there is no need to run through the halls,” Mortimer said admonishingly to the young Lock Maid. He knew she was one of the new recruits and probably had never encountered one of the many false princesses.

“But what if she’s the one!” Margaret exclaimed.

“She may be, but the last a 113 weren’t.” Mortimer said, trying to temper the excitement of the young maid. Too much hope, crushed too often, hurt more deeply then you can imagine. He saw that in the King.

They passed the squad of palace guard standing guard in the hall and entered the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Mortimer is a character that’s actually in the movie. He’s in the background when we see the sick queen, and then he is waving everyone forward when the search for the flower begins. So I figured I’d make him someone important, the seneschal who runs the day-to-day matters of the kingdom, and give him a name.   
> They use the exact same body for the heavy set man reading a book that Rapunzel runs into when she enters the city, but that is Mortimer’s youngest brother, since he wouldn’t look the same after 18 years.


	10. Starting the Story

The seneschal, Mortimer Danberry and the Lock Maid, Margaret, entered the Testing Chamber and paused to take in the people in the room. Margaret the maid went to to the fireplace and roused the small fire and set the kettle to boil, ready to see to their comfort, but shared a small smile with her husband Mark as she passed him. 

For Mortimer, the Lock Guard next to the door was expected, but the girl and her man; not so much. The man was indeed Flynn Rider; with a handsome nose the wanted posters never seemed able to capture. 

The girl was a totally different matter. He was expecting a false princess with long golden hair, which is what his princess warning network had told him about yesterday. Most of the princess candidates were blonde, some few had other hair colors, mostly because criminals were hiding behind them. This was probably one of those. For some reason all the girls in the kingdom seemed to have a story that proved that they were the Lost Princess. “The story might just be entertaining, at least. I wonder how Flynn Rider fits into this one.” Mortimer thought to himself.

This was not how the seneschal ever expected to find Flynn Rider in the palace. He had never expected Flynn Rider to end up hiding behind a false princess.“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” Mortimer almost laughed; except something about the way she looked was also familiar. She had a basket on her arm and a chameleon on her shoulder, who smiled at him. 

The false princess was looking quite uncertainly at Margaret, who was moving around the chamber, and himself, as if she didn’t know who was the important one here. 

Mortimer noted that her dress was very odd. You could tell a lot about a person from their clothes. Most false princesses came in their best clothes, as if that could impress him. A few had come in very poor clothes, trying for sympathy, though none were barefoot like this one. This one’s dress looked like it came from a prosperous, though not rich family, a mid-tier merchant perhaps. However, he could see an abundance of embroidery, which indicated more wealth then the dress itself did. 

“Ah, welcome, my lady. Please, let us sit together so that we may determine if you truly are the Lost Princess.”   
Mortimer used lady as generic honorific, she had yet to prove her claim. He held a chair out for the false princess and trudged to the other side of the desk as Flynn Rider sat next to her. She put the basket down between the heavy chairs. The false princess and the criminal shared a look before turning to the seneschal.

“So, when did you find out you were the Lost Princess?” He started. He didn’t bother asking her name, everyone knew the princess’ name.

“Oh, that was this morning.” The girl’s hands fluttered by her shoulder, she looked at her hands and placed them back in her lap.

“…And how did you find out?” the seneschal prompted. No false princess had ever needed prompting before. They usually had no problem telling him all about how they learned they were the Lost Princess.

“I was looking at the sigil flag that Eugene here gave me when we were here for the lanterns. After Mother -- er, not my real mother but, the person who kidnapped me -- had taken all the flowers and braids out of my hair.” The false princess’ hands started groping near her shoulder again. She started looking around with her eyes really wide, like she was scared all of the sudden. 

“Aw, those were pretty,” commented Flynn.

“She told me again how terrible the world was and how it would destroy any light that it found, I couldn’t help but accept that. Then she went to make the hazelnut soup she had surprised me with for my birthday yesterday. Then I flopped down on my bed and was looking at the sigil flag again and looking at the paintings on the ceiling of my room. Then I saw all the suns I had painted into all the scenes I had painted all over my room. And then I had a vision of a sun floating over me and two large people who I knew were my parents and that reminded me of the mosaic in the square showing the Lost Princess, King and Queen.

“The vision was so strong I fell over. Then I confronted M...Mother about it, telling her I am the Lost Princess and she was afraid. I know fear far too well to not know what fear looks like. She didn’t deny it; she tried to make light of it. It confirmed to me that I was right. I was the Lost Princess. When I told her I would never let her use my hair again she knocked me out and chained me to the stairs. Before she could finish packing, Eugene came to rescue me. I tried to warn him, but she had gagged me and threw my hair out the window so he could climb up,” the false princess said, glancing at Flynn.

“Wait!? She threw your hair out the window?” asked the seneschal, confused. That sounded so bizarre. Her hair barely reached her shoulders, how could it be thrown out of a window? Why would anyone throw hair out of a window?

“Yes, that is how Mother would get in and out of the tower, there was no other way until she revealed the hidden staircase this morning,” explained the false princess.

The seneschal frowned as he tried to fit all that together.

“You should have seen it, it was a good seventy feet long and as golden as the sun on a summers day,” chimed in Flynn, letting go of the girl’s hand to make a large sweeping gesture. Mortimer sat back. He was having a hard time imagining seventy feet of hair. 

“But now it’s short and brown. Why is that?” This could be vitally important, thought Mortimer, addressing the girl, leaning forward again.

Flynn Rider held up his hand and said, “That was my fault. Once I had climbed the tower to try and rescue her, her ‘mother’ stabbed me.” Showing the hole and the blood on his shirt and vest. Mortimer was very surprised, it looked as though Flynn Rider had been stabbed and had bled very profusely, yet there were no bandages and he looked quite hale. 

“She was going to fight her for every minute of the rest of her life, but she promised she would go peacefully with her ‘mother’ if she could heal me first. I couldn’t let her do that, she would be worse then a slave. I knew I was dying, but I couldn’t let her keep that promise. My strength was leaving me. I had only one chance to do something. So I pretended to want a kiss, grabbed her hair and cut it with a shard of mirror that was on the floor near me. Then things went rather fuzzy.” Flynn finished quietly.

“That’s because you died,” the false princess reminded him, looking into Flynn’s eyes shyly.

“He died!?” asked Mortimer, completely distracted from the question he had asked. Even the chameleon nodded.

The girl looked back to Mortimer. “Yes, he died. He was dying, I started the healing song, but with my hair cut there was nothing that I could do about it. It had lost its power. After he died, I finished singing it, because I couldn’t think of anything else to do, but I was crying so hard I could barely finish.” 

She reached out and touched Flynn’s cheek with a tender look on her face. ”Then light started swirling out from his wound, forming a flower and then it faded and he woke up.” The princess candidate finished.

“So you’re telling me that your tears have healing powers?” The seneschal was somewhat incredulous. Sure, there was magic in the world, but this was the weirdest manifestation of magic he’d ever heard of. And he had thought the incident with the magic beans in the kingdom to the South was weird.

“No, my hair had healing powers, but after it was cut there seemed there was only one last drop of magic left and it healed him. I tried healing Maximus by crying, but it didn’t work,” the false princess said sadly.

“Maximus? I know that name, isn’t that the Palace Guard Captains’ horse? How did he get involved with you, I was told that he captured a couple of men last night and involved in the prison break this morning?” This story was so out of control, Mortimer wasn’t sure where it would go next.

“Well, Yes… he broke me out of the prison this morning, so I could save her.” Flynn added casually. 

Mortimer was getting tired of his insolent manner, law or no law.

“Please, let us explain,” the princess candidate said desperately, reaching out to him with both hands.

Mortimer looked at her hands, then caught her fingers and the girl winced. “Oh, you have a lot of explaining to do, like why are your wrists so bruised?” He shot a dark look at Flynn Rider. The princess candidate’s wrists had a thick band of red and black around them.

The princess candidate looked to be in pain, so he released her and she rubbed her wrists. “Those were from the shackles Mother bound me with. She chained me to the pillar by her room after she knocked me out. Then Eugene climbed up my hair, but I couldn’t set myself or even hold my hair like I normally do. I was being stretched between the chain and my hair as Eugene climbed it. It hurt so much, I could barely breathe and I could see dark splotches covering what I could see.”

Flynn was pale. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was trying to save you.” He pulled his chair closer, put his arm around her and she settled into him.

Mortimer frowned for a moment. This story was not making much sense, at all. All the other candidates had had neat, if not-so-little stories. This pair seemed to be jumping back and forth between several things that had happened.

“Let’s all start from the beginning, the very beginning. The queen was pregnant and became sick. The kingdom turned out to find a magic golden flower that was rumored to exist, which was found and used to heal the queen. The princess was born healthy with long golden hair. An old woman -- whom we never found -- stole the baby soon after. Then what happened?” Asked the seneschal slightly aggressively, trying to get things back on track.

The princess candidate began her story, “You wouldn’t have been able to find her because you were looking for the wrong thing. Mother would use my hair to make herself young. If you were looking for an old woman with a baby, you wouldn’t notice a young woman with a baby.”

“You mentioned that before. Your hair had the power to make people young?” asked the seneschal, his eyes narrowing.

“And heal,” she added.

“She used it to heal my hand after I cut it on a rock trying to get out of the cave when the dam broke,” chimed in Flynn holding up his left hand.

“… Ah, hold that thought, make sure to come back to that when we get to that part of the story. So we were looking for the wrong person, where did she hide you?” asked the seneschal, holding up his hand to hush Flynn Rider, he was not going to get sidetracked this time. “Why was getting the story out of them so hard? Usually, I just have to sit back and listen.” He thought.

“There is a hidden tower, I have no idea how it got there, or why it was built where it was, but it is in a small canyon with a waterfall,” said the princess candidate.

“It’s only about half a day’s walk from here,” added Flynn.

“Only half a day’s walk from here?” cried Mortimer. It came out in a despairing sounding way, the thought of the Lost Princess being that close was terrible. He had people halfway around the planet searching for her.

“Oh, don’t feel bad for yourself, it is very well hidden, the only reason I found it was because I was trying to get away from Maximus and I quite literally stumbled upon it,” commented the second most wanted person in the kingdom.

Mortimer gave Flynn a look. He kept getting the desire to ask him a lot of questions, but determining the claim of this Lost Princess candidate was more important, turning back to her. “And what did you do all this time?”

“I stayed in the tower. Mother told me that the power of my hair was a special gift and needed to be protected, so I could never leave the tower. So I kept busy by doing chores, reading, painting, and doing things with Pascal here to keep each other entertained,” she said, patting Pascal affectionately. 

“The big thing in my life were the lanterns that I kept seeing every year on my birthday. I knew they weren’t stars since they didn’t move like the stars do, I mapped them out on the wall of my tower and the floating lights didn’t fit anything else up there. And this year I was determined to find out exactly what they were. I worked up my courage and asked Mother if she would take me to see them, but she said they were only the stars. After she left for the morning, Eugene showed up,” she glanced at Flynn. 

“Who is Eugene? Aren’t you Flynn Rider?” asked Mortimer, confused.

“My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert,” said Flynn Rider, self-deprecatingly.

“O-kay,” the seneschal said slowly, no wonder he picked a different name. Flynn blushed after a long moment of quiet gazing. Turning back to the Lost Princess candidate prompted, “please continue.”

She explained that after capturing him (“with a frying pan” interjected Flynn), and noticing that he didn’t have pointy teeth, (Mortimer traded a glance with Flynn, who shrugged) decided that she would show him off to Mother to prove that she could handle herself outside. 

But that didn’t work, so she asked for some new paint, made from shells she knew were from far enough away that she could see the floating lights and get back before Mother did, she hated herself for lying to Mother like that but it was the only way to see the lights. By hiding his satchel she was able to make a deal with Eugene to take her to see the floating lights and bring her safely back, which he agreed to. 

They went through the forest and when they got hungry they stopped at the Snuggly Duckling. They almost got captured by the ruffians and thugs there, and then the palace guards. They fought at the dam, which broke, and then made camp, where she healed Eugene and got the satchel from Mother.

Then next day they had made it to the island and had a great time doing new things.

“The library was wonderful, I haven’t seen so many books in one place ever and so much more to learn. Then there was the chalk drawing, there were all these children making drawings on the stones in another square and I joined in and made a big sun flower with a purple background,” said the Lost Princess candidate.

“It was very impressive,” added Flynn.

“You made that?” The Lost Princess candidate nodded. “Everyone thought it was amazing, we even heard about it here at the palace. The court painter went down to copy it, so it could be saved,” remembered the seneschal.

“And in the square with the portrait of the royal family, where the people leave flowers for the Lost Princess, there were musicians and I started dancing. It was so amazing to have music and be able to dance at the same time. Mother played for me sometimes as a treat, but I could only dance alone. There were people to dance with there and a lot of people joined in, but they kept Eugene and I apart until the end,” the Lost Princess candidate blushed and looked at Flynn Rider.

“Then it was time to go to the boats and see the lights. That was really scary, because even if was everything I imagined it was, it was still going to be over soon and I was going to go back to the tower. But I didn’t really want to, I wanted to stay with Eugene. But Mother needed me. So when he gave us lanterns, I gave him the satchel. I was sure he liked me then since he didn’t seem to care about it very much. But then he paddled us to shore and left with the satchel.” The Lost Princess candidate looked at the criminal with a look that asked him to explain himself. 

“Um, it was because I saw the Stabbington brothers on the shore behind you when we were going to kiss. I went to give them the satchel, because I didn’t care about it any more, but they did. At least I thought so, they didn’t care about the satchel anymore either, as they knew about your hair. They wanted you instead,” said Flynn Rider to the girl.

“Well, I care! What was in the satchel!?” interrupted Mortimer, annoyed that something that seemed to be so important wasn’t being explained. Princess Candidates always explained everything.

Flynn was suddenly busy looking anywhere, but at the two of them. 

The Lost Princess candidate looked at Flynn Rider and started, ”Well, I don’t know exactly what it was...”

“It was the Crown of the Lost Princess.” Flynn Rider blurted out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Rapunzel and Eugene are have a hard time telling the story. Flynn is sweating. She might be the Lost Princess but he has no idea what the Test entails and isn’t even sure that the test can identify her correctly. He has to let her do most of the talking so she does not freak out. His life is in her hands again. For what? The fifth time in 3 days?  
> Interesting, Gothel didn’t lie and say Rapunzel wasn’t the Lost Princess, she deflected the question.


	11. The Story Continues

Rapunzel looked confused. “That was my crown?”

“WHAT!?” The seneschal’s shout was so loud birds roosting on a neighboring tower took flight. He waved off the guard who rushed forward as Mortimer had jumped to his feet, his chair crashing backwards. 

Rapunzel began to wish she had her hair to hide in, as the seneschal paced back and forth in the Testing Chamber like a caged lion.

“Are you kidding me? You’ve come here claiming to be the Lost Princess and you don’t even know about your crown?” said Mortimer, waving his arms. “The Most Valuable Treasure of the kingdom. We’ve had a squad of guards around it night and day since the day the princess were taken. It was stolen two days ago and found yesterday in the hands of Flynn Rider, who was supposed to have been hanged this morning, but escaped with the help of a mob of thugs who are now awaiting trial in the dungeon,” Mortimer growled, his fists on the desk, leaning across to glare at Eugene.

“Oh, please don’t hurt them. They’re nice guys, really,” begged Rapunzel.

“Besides, it was Max who got them to do it, so I could save her. You see, I came to in the boat the Stabbington brothers tied me to not far from where we had left Maximus; I was trying to tell the guards that she was in trouble, but you know how guards are. Max must have heard me and I think he got the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling to break me out, because he had no idea where she was. He knew that I did.” Eugene was talking fast. He knew it all depended on Rapunzel convincing the seneschal that she was the Lost Princess. 

Eugene knew he had to fill in gaps that Rapunzel didn’t know, but she had his life in her hands, again, and he didn’t dare tell her. He desperately wanted to be her knight in shining armor, but wasn’t doing a very good job of it. All he could do was hold it together so she could feel his support. The seneschal was definitely upset at him and all he could do was sweat.

“So maybe you were thinking that returning the Lost Princess would get you and them a pardon?” growled Mortimer at Eugene.

“No. I didn’t know,” Eugene said simply. “Max didn’t know and neither did anyone else, except her ‘mother.’ None of us knew that she was the Lost Princess. We went to save the girl who stole our hearts.”

Mortimer considered the implications of that, his eyes narrowing. “Be that as it may, you may still hang.”

“No!” shouted Rapunzel, reaching out to the seneschal, from the edge of her seat.

Everyone looked at her. 

Rapunzel brought her arms back in, holding them close to her body, she wasn’t used to this level of attention. “Well, he was, but he isn’t any more. Flynn Rider died this morning because Eugene Fitzherbert gave his life to save me. I had promised M...Mother that I would go with her if she would let me save him first. That everything would go back to the way it was. I would stay in the tower and she could use my hair to stay young.” Rapunzel was still in a bit of a daze, realizing that she had no other name for Mother, but Mother.

Rapunzel’s voice had gotten hollow and flat, her hands were groping her shoulder, feeling for some of her hair to worry. “I promised I would never try to escape or run away and we would be together forever. I never break a promise. And it would have been forever, because my hair can-could heal anything.” Her empty hands flop into her lap. She could see the red and black splotches slowly growing on her aching wrists.

“I would give up my freedom and any hope of going Outside ever again just to know that Eugene was alive, somewhere, even if I could never be with him again. I had found someone who liked me and I ...couldn’t let him die.” Tears where dripping onto her hands that lay limply on her skirts as Eugene slid his chair closer to hers, put both of his arms around her and Pascal tightened his tail around her neck.

The seneschal stood up straight, picked up the chair and sat down across from them again, his look more gentle. “I think we skipped over some parts in there. He left you at the beach and went to give the crown to the Stabbington Brothers, who were brought in by Maximus and are currently in the prison. You are safe from them. Then what happened?”

Wiping her eyes, Rapunzel pulled herself together, Pascal who was a distressed mauve gave her some nuzzles and told her she was brave. 

Rapunzel took a breath and then continued the story. “I waited what seemed like forever and then I saw someone coming out of the fog. I thought it was Eugene, but it was the Stabbington Brothers. They said Flynn had left me. I couldn’t believe them, but they showed me that he was sailing away in a boat, I tried calling him, but then they said it was a fair trade, I was traded to them. The crown, for the girl with the magic hair. They had a sack.” She shivered. 

“I tried to run, but my braid got caught on a branch. Then I heard thumping sounds and then Mother called, she had knocked them out and I went home with her because I felt that I had been betrayed by someone who I thought ...liked me.” She glanced at Eugene. She needed reassurance from Eugene, he had left her twice, when she thought he had wanted to stay with her.

Eugene put his hands up. “Don’t look at me, it wasn’t my idea. I want to stay with you forever. I was betrayed by them too. But I have to tell you that they don’t hit quite as hard as you do with your frying pan. They tied me to that boat and sent me back to the city. I woke up when I hit the dock and I found that I had the crown stuck in my hand. Then the guards took me, I was trying to get them to listen, but you know how guards are.” Flynn was trying to lighten things up.

“I kept calling for her, I am guessing that Max heard me and tried to find her, but only found the Stabbington brothers since he brought them in. I spent a restless night trying to figure out how to help her. Then the Captain of the Guard came to take me to be hanged. Somehow, I wasn’t exactly surprised by that, though I had expected some kind of trial at least. I gave up then, there wasn’t a way out or anyone to listen to me at that point.” Eugene shrugged, remembering the despair he had felt at that point. Not because he would die, but that he wouldn’t be able to save Rapunzel.

“But then I saw the Stabbington brothers in a cell. I knocked away the guards and grabbed Dirk. I almost dragged him through the bars, I had to know how he had known about her hair. He said that an old woman had told them. The only other person to know about her hair was her mother. I realized that she was in far more danger from her own mother then from any of us.” Eugene jerked his thumb at himself.

“Then the guards swarmed me and took me away. Then the next thing I know the guards are disappearing, the Pub Thugs were breaking me out of the dungeon. That didn’t make any sense, I know they don’t like me that much. One of them had a key to the shackles and then we were running away from the reinforcements. We got to the courtyard where we were surrounded, but then HookHand put me on a cart. The next thing I know I was flying through the air, and landed on Maximus on top of the wall. He had gotten them to come break me out. We ran from more guards and jumped off of the wall and down some roofs and out of town to her tower.” Eugene gestured toward the mainland.

“The next part gets really interesting, but I want to know what happened to you after you left the beach.” Eugene said turning to Rapunzel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gave the Stabbington brothers names, the obvious ones are Dirk and Lance.


	12. Things Get Interesting

Rapunzel took a breath, trying not to get caught up in the emotions that had welled up, remembering how she had felt on that walk home to the tower. Her brown hair glinted in the bright sunshine pouring in the window. Margaret pulled the now whistling kettle from the fire and began to pour tea for everyone.

“Well, Mother and I spent the night walking home, her green lantern lighting the way. I never wanted to leave the tower again. What had happened had hurt so much. It was just getting light when we reached the Tower. She showed me that there are stairs leading up on the backside of the tower. I was so tired and ...sad that I didn’t really care.” Started Rapunzel, sad didn’t really describe how much her heart hurt on that walk home. She had loved Eugene and he left, just like Mother said he would. She gave him a tiny glance, he was right there next to her, staying close. Eugene put his hand in hers again.

“We went into my bedroom and Mother spent a lot of time removing the flowers and braids from my hair making it as though it had never happened. Mother said she had tried to warn me about how terrible the outside world was. I could only agree with her, I had some times when I thought I had found someone who really liked me, but the betrayal was like a knife through my heart.” Rapunzel was hunched over in her chair, a hand over her heart, looking down at the floor.

“Mother went to make the hazelnut soup she had surprised me with before I left. I found the sigil flag still in my pocket and was holding it as I flopped onto my bed. I saved it from Mother, because it did remind me of a moment of happiness.” She pulled it from her pocket, cradling it in her lap before lifting it.

“I held it above me as I lay there, and then things began to change. I could see suns all over my room. I had somehow incorporated that sun image into everything I had painted in my room. As I stood up in wonder, surrounded by all those images, I had a vision or something. There was the sun again in a round thing above me, with little animals hanging off of it, and there were two people ...a man and a woman. They looked just like the people in the mosaic in the square, the king and queen holding a little girl with golden hair and green eyes...my hair and my eyes.” She was on the edge of her seat, looking earnestly at the seneschal gesturing to her hair and her eyes.

“Those people were my parents. My parents were the king and queen, and I was a princess. I was the Lost Princess. That realization knocked me off of my feet. Mother wasn’t my real mother. I had parents...real parents that were still looking for me. Parents that loved me, and were sending up lanterns--trying to call me home. It was too much. I was on the floor. My whole world was upside down. It was hard to breathe.

“I could hear Mother calling me, but I couldn’t understand her. Too much was happening inside my head. I went to my curtain and confronted her. She wasn’t my mother. She wanted my power, and she had been using me. She was the terrible one. I had gone Outside and returned safely. I was strong enough. I was a princess!” And for a moment everyone in the room saw majesty sitting in the arms of a thief. The maid paused as she picked up the tea to spoon into the kettle.

“She tried to put me in my place like she always did, but I was so angry. I caught her hand and told her she could never use my hair again. She spun away and broke the mirror. I was leaving the Tower.” Rapunzel was caught up in what she was remembering, pantomiming the actions that she was reliving.

“Then she knocked me out and put me in chains. We heard Max and Eugene coming. I wanted to call but she gagged me. When I heard Eugene call me to let down my hair, Mother threw it down and hid next to the window.” Rapunzel turned to Eugene grabbed him and shook him. “I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t stop talking long enough to listen me and she stabbed you.” Rapunzel hunched over, what came next had been so terrible.

“I can still hear the sound of her knife going into your body. When you fell, you didn’t land on any of my hair, so I couldn’t help you. I tried to get to you, but when mother pulled on the chains it hurt so much. It was like she was pulling my arms out.” Rapunzel had thought that pain of Eugene climbing her hair without her holding her hair and setting herself was terrible. Her wrists were bruising from the shackles, and her head and shoulders still ached from all of the abuse her body had sustained. She was hugging herself trying to hold herself together.

“But I had to help you. You came back for me. You still lo...liked me and I couldn’t let you die.” She glanced at the seneschal. “I offered Mother my hair, my life, and my freedom. I would never run or try to escape. I knew she needed my hair. There have been a few times when she has been gone for a while and she came back very old, but my hair would make her young again in an instant. So telling her that we would be together forever, I knew it was going to be a very long time. I lo... liked you, but for you it would be worth it.” Rapunzel looked into Eugene’s eyes, the light of love shining like a beacon in the dark, even if the word couldn’t pass her lips anymore. 

“I couldn’t let you do that. I’d have rather died then let you stay with her with no chance of escape,” said Eugene determinedly. He could see in her eyes she more then liked him, much more, but he knew the word love had been poisoned by the kidnapper. He was determined to do whatever it took to remove that poison.

“Actually, you did die.” Rapunzel said shyly, her fingers playing with the hole in his shirt. Mortimer’s eyes flicked to the cut and bloodstains on Flynn’s shirt.

“Yeah, I did, didn’t I? I remember lots of screaming for some reason.” Eugene said uncertainly.

“That was Mother, for some reason cutting my hair caused her to age very fast. I think it was very painful for her, she was screaming and stumbling around and Pascal tripped her with a length of my hair. You’re very brave, aren’t you?” Said Rapunzel to Pascal, giving the chameleon a rub on his eye ridges. He smiled and enjoyed the rub.

“I tried to grab her, but I was too far away. I just wanted to be away from her, I didn’t want her to die. Then you coughed, I started the Healing Incantation with what was left of my hair, but once it’s cut it loses its power. Nothing happened and you died.” Rapunzel’s eyes were filling with tears again. The pain was still so fresh in her mind.

Rapunzel looked toward Mortimer again. “My whole life was crashing down around me, Mother had just died in front of me and so had my Eugene. Pascal had been kicked across the room and could barely stand.” She patted Pascal and then turned back to Eugene. “There was nothing left. I cradled you in my lap and finished the incantation because it had always helped before. There was nothing else I knew to do. If having been betrayed felt like being cut with a knife, all this was like having my heart cut out.” Rapunzel twined her hands together above her heart, breathing fast, and looking down again.

“I have never hurt so much in my life, being Punished had hurt less. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have my hair anymore, so I couldn’t fix it. Now, there was no one to turn to, no one left. I didn’t know a person could hurt so much inside or cry so hard. I felt like I was going to shatter from sadness. Then through my tears I saw light, the wound was glowing, streams of light poured out and surrounded us. Finally, a flower appeared to grow where the wound was and then it all faded and you started to breathe and you spoke. It was amazing and I felt like I was floating in the sky like a lantern. You were alive again.” She was looking up into Eugene’s eyes, she had hold of his vest and he could see the full depth of her love for him.

Mortimer could only stare as Rapunzel and Eugene shared a very special look. It was True Love, he hadn’t seen that look between anyone for a long time. The King and Queen had it, but they hadn’t shared it for eighteen years. At that moment, he didn’t care if she was the Lost Princess or not, they had something very special, and if she did not pass the Test he would make sure that they would be sent to safety, maybe King Stefan’s kingdom. No matter if he was Flynn Rider. True love deserved a chance.

Rapunzel looked back to Mortimer. “And then we came here, since Maximus had exhausted himself bringing Eugene to my tower, and he needed proper help, and to come home to my real parents. We got captured by the guards and brought to you.” 

Clearing his throat, Mortimer announced, “I think now, it is time for the Test. I shall return shortly.” 

Rapunzel and Eugene exchanged glances and clasped hands. 

As the seneschal unsteadily got up to leave, the maid came forward and asked, “Would you like some tea, m’lady, sir?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for the recap.


	13. The Test

The seneschal to the Kingdom of Corona, Mortimer Danberry, pondered what had happened back in the Testing Chamber, as he strode down the corridor to find the Queen. She and the King would have been alerted by the staff to the fact a Princess Candidate was in the palace. They would be waiting for him to come for the Lock, so he could Test the Princess Candidate. 

 

Interviewing the Candidates was a step in determining who she was. Was she good or bad? Would she be good for the kingdom or not? Would she be a threat to her parents? He had plans to deal with so many variations of what the princess might be like. Captain Taygon, the head of the Lock Guard, had helped with that. Some of those plans scared him.

 

This girl was good. He _knew_ that. She was sweet and innocent and loving in amazing ways. Not just in what she said she did in her story, but how she said it and how she acted. It just didn’t feel like an act, as so many of the other’s had. She might make a good princess, if he had any choice in the matter.

 

While the interview was important for determining the personality of the princess, only the Test could truly prove if she was the Lost Princess, one way or the other. All the false princesses had come with elaborate back stories and explanations, but he had never encountered anything like this girl before.

 

She was brunette for one very big thing. The girl seemed completely honest and innocent. She truly believed her wild, disorganized story and for a moment she truly seemed like a princess.

 

He knew that Maximus had broken the dam from the Captain’s report. That the search for the crown had gone to the Snuggly Duckling, was also known. He even knew that a girl with long golden hair had been in the city for the anniversary, her joy and innocence had attracted a lot of attention. His princess warning system had alerted him and he was expecting her to make her claim, but she never did. This girl had taken him completely by surprise. 

 

Yet, apparently, the blonde and the brunette were the same girl. Just like the babe. Only ten living people knew that secret. Hope soared up wildly in his heart!

 

_“No! Not again_ ,” he smothered that hopeful feeling. _“The Test! The Test would tell if she was the true Lost Princess.”_ Shaking his head he continued on to the royal apartments. 

 

The day after the “anniversary” was set aside for rest and recovery. He didn’t speak of it, but the seneschal could tell that the “anniversary” was very difficult for the king. He feared that his king was loosing hope. Every time a claimant was rejected the lines on his face grew deeper and the less he spoke. 

 

Mortimer did as much as he could to ease the burden on the Royal Couple, but this was one thing that he couldn’t help with. He had arranged a boat for the royal couple, the queen wanted a distraction for this evening. The royals really needed it.

 

Stopping outside the Waiting room, the seneschal settled himself and schooled his face to be strictly neutral, he had made a serious mistake with the first false princess and he had vowed never to raise false hope in his king and queen again. He nodded to James, the Lock Guard in his crossed white sashes and black fez. He was on duty today to always stay near the Lock. 

 

After the maid had let him in, he bowed to the King, who was staring out of the window, and nodded without looking at him. Then bowed to the Queen who was sitting in the sun reading a book. “My queen, there is another claimant. I am in need of the Lock for the Test.” 

 

The queen looked deeply at him, trying to fine some sign, but he held his neutrality and calmness as close as he could, he would not hurt them again. Nodding, she removed a necklace with the vial containing the kingdom’s Most Precious Treasure, that she kept ever near her heart. 

 

The Crown of the Lost Princess may be called the kingdom’s Most Valuable Treasure, but it was really just a decoy. They could not keep the rumors of a very valuable treasure from spreading, but they did what they could to make sure anyone who wanted the treasure think it was something other then it was. The Lock was too vital and precious to allow to be stolen.

 

Still, it was surprising that Flynn Rider had pulled off the heist. The security of the palace had been a primary concern since the taking of the princess.

 

After the princess was taken the Queen had found a six-inch lock of brown hair in the crib. What it had meant, was something the Privy Council had debated for some time. They had even included the Headwoman, doctor, surgeon, herbalist, and the midwife just to be sure they had covered all possibilities. 

 

They knew that an old woman had stolen the princess. While the princess had had golden hair, the lock was brown and not grey. That was very close to the color of the queen’s hair, but slightly different in a very significant way; there were still flecks of gold in the brown hair. They could be seen sparkling in direct sunlight. It was the logical conclusion that the hair was from the princess and that the golden color of her hair was some kind of effect from the magic, golden flower they had used to heal the queen and that it was mostly lost when the hair was cut and returned to its actual color. Much like the flower had withered when cut.

 

It wasn’t the strongest evidence he’d ever seen, but it was the only conclusion that fit all the available facts. The Test was very simple, cut a sample of the claimant’s hair and compare them. Of course, all the girls so far that had blonde hair that had stayed blonde when cut, so they could not be the Lost Princess. The ones with other color hair did not have the glints of gold. None had even understood the true nature of the test.

 

The seneschal had the suspicion that the queen kept the Lock on her person so she would know if there was a claimant in the palace. She knew that he needed the Lock for the Test. She probably couldn’t stand to not know if there was a princess being tested.

 

She had the most hope of them all.

 

As the queen laid the warm vial in his hand, he gave the gleaming Lock a long look in the bright sunshine. _“It looked like… No!”_ Clenching it in his fist, he bowed carefully to his queen and king and left. He left the Waiting Room with the Lock Guard staying with him now.

 

“Easy, old man. Breathe. Follow the protocol,” the seneschal whispered to himself, pausing just outside the Testing Chamber. Then he and the Lock Guard entered the Testing Chamber. The Lost Princess Claimant and Flynn Rider spun around from looking out the third story window. The two Lock Guards closed the doors and took position directly in front of them, blocking the exit. 

 

Flynn looked at the guards suspiciously. He had seen that it was a three story drop to the stones of the courtyard below, with no trees or trellises to climb. His one way out was now blocked by two of those ordinary looking guards and they had their attention on him. That attention unnerved him. If Rapunzel failed this test, getting past them was going to be hard, really hard. He would not be taken to the gallows without a fight.

 

Going to his desk, Mortimer removed a pair of scissors and approached the Lost Princess candidate. Fear shown in her eyes, as he tested the scissors. She heard the metal blades sheering against each other. 

 

“What are those for?” Rapunzel asked in a frightened voice, backing up. Her hands moved to her shoulder as if trying to grip some hair that wasn’t there anymore. 

 

“The Test is very simple really, I need some of your hair.” Mortimer explained as he stepped closer.

 

“But Eugene cut my hair already, it doesn’t have any power anymore.” Rapunzel backed herself into the window she and Eugene had been looking out of. She was scared of the scissors. Mother had always warned her not to ever let anyone cut her hair. 

 

Pascal growled at the seneschal. Eugene placed himself between her and the scissors.

 

“Be that as it may, we must perform the Test if we are to know if you are the true Lost Princess,” said the seneschal.

 

Rapunzel bit her lip. She was the Lost Princess, and if this was the test she would do it. She was brave enough to do this. Her hair was already cut and powerless, but it was still scary. Putting her arms around Eugene and burying her face into his shoulder, she whispered shakily, “Okay, do it.”

 

Eugene put his arms around her shoulders and held her. Pascal turned around to keep an eye on the seneschal, growling and frowning deeply at him.

 

With a puzzled expression on his face, about her fear of scissors, Mortimer approached and gently lifted a lock of hair and Rapunzel shivered as she heard the snip. She took a shuddering breath and then she slowly turned.

 

She saw the seneschal standing there in the sunlight, a lock of her hair in his hand next to a vial with something brown in it. The hand was shaking. 

 

Mortimer had the Lock and the lock, in his hand; they looked so similar in his hand in the shadow cast by the girl and Flynn Rider. “ _So much alike already, let it be the Lost Princess, please._ _If it wasn’t, the things that came next for the kingdom were terrible. The beloved kingdom would end.”_  

His heart screamed, “ _It had to be a match!”_  

His mind whimpered, “ _None of the others had.”_

 

He slowly moved his hand to the shaft of sunlight that streamed merrily past the girl. The warmth of that beam caressing his hand. 

 

Tiny sparkles of light reflected back from within the vial. The lock cut from the girl stayed dull, shaded by the vial. He tipped his hand, the rays of the sun catching the tiny brown lock in all their glory and tiny sparkles winked at him. 

 

Tiny sparkles...

In brown hair...

From the girl...

 

The Lost Princess...

 

...was home.

 

The locks of hair blurred out as tears filled his eyes. The scissors slipped from Mortimer’s other hand and landed with a clatter on the floor, tears began to join them.

 

Eugene reached out and put an arm on the pale, shaking seneschal’s shoulder, “Are you alright, man?” 

 

The seneschal crashed to his knees. Looking up with tears streaming down his face he said, “Welcome home, your Highness. We’ve missed you, so much.” 

 

Then he hugged them both around the waist. Eugene had his arms up in reaction to the hug, repulsed by the totally unexpected hug from the kneeling man. Rapunzel was just hanging onto Eugene, not at all understanding what was happening. 

 

The Lock Guards and Lock Maid were standing there with their jaws hanging open. 

The seneschal turned on his knees. “Don’t just stand there. Quickly man, tell them that she’ll be at the plaza balcony. Move!”

 

Mark took off at run.

 

Mortimer grunted as he tried to stand and Eugene gave him a hand, pulling the bulky man up.

“Margaret, have the kitchens prepare some dinner for the Princess. James, have her bedroom prepared. Go!” The two personnel took off out the doors.

 

“Your Highness, please, come with me.” Mortimer began pulling Rapunzel by the hand, giddy as a schoolboy. Pascal and Eugene share a look. 

 

Rapunzel smiled shyly, Mortimer looked so happy now, but he had been so sad a moment ago. Now she was not sure why the heavy man was dragging her to the doors, and asked, “Where, where are we going?”

 

“You’re going to meet your parents now.” Mortimer said with a massive smile on his tear-stained face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The test was to see if the hair would change from blonde to brown. But Rapunzel’s hair is already brown, that won’t prove anything. So her powerless hair needed something to make it unique. When she sings we can see the magic slowly streaming down her hair but there are sparklies as well. Those are luminescent structures embedded in her hair that remain even after the hair is cut. In direct sunlight they reflect tiny pinpoints of light.
> 
> Trying to figure out a reason for having the guard show up and let the Royal Couple know that their daughter is home was challenging. In period, it would take 2-3 known body markings to prove that the claimant was who she said she was. The person to do that would be the queen as she would know her baby best. But they didn’t do that. So what would be an alternative. The hair was the only clue available, Gothel left that lock she cut off in the crib. So blonde princess leaves behind brown hair, which looks a lot like the queen’s hair. But a lot of girls in the kingdom seem to have about the same color brown hair. Rapunzel doesn’t have blonde hair to cut anymore. Rapunzel’s hair has to be absolutely unique in some way.


	14. ~ King and Queen, Father and Mother, Husband and Wife

King Leonard and Queen Rebecca of Corona turned to the opening doors of the waiting room as their seneschal came in. 

Someone claiming to be the Lost Princess was in the palace, being tested. No matter how hard the staff tried, there was no way to hide the fact there was a Lost Princess candidate in the palace. The energy of the palace changed, hope and depression warred openly in the corridors, even when no one said anything. You could see it in everyone’s eyes, the way they walked, and how they did their duties. So the royal couple hid away from it all, until it was over.

Mortimer Danberry looked at the king. The sad look on his face and the compassion that outlined his eyes said it all even before he shook his head. Mortimer walked to the queen and held out the Lock of the Lost Princess, she took it and looped it over her head. She tucked it under her dress and her hands fell onto the book in her lap.

Mortimer bowed to the royal couple and quietly left. He went to his office to clear the royal schedule for the next few days. He met the Head Woman and told her to prepare some of their favorite foods, send for the musicians and update the list of events in the kingdom that they could distract themselves with. 

King Leonard turned back to the window. He could see a carriage escorted by guards racing over the bridge and into the forest. That would be the latest false princess and her “rescuers.” They had failed the Test of the Lost Princess and so were exiled, never to return to this kingdom. The thought of having someone that had claimed to have been their daughter still in the kingdom was too terrible. It was dangerous too, to return would mean death. It was the only way to keep them away. They wanted their daughter back too much.

King Leonard turned to look at his bride as he heard soft thumps behind him. Great tears were dripping onto the leather-bound book on her lap, her hands laying open and empty.

Queen Rebecca looked up, rivulets of tears coursing down her beautiful face. “Where’s my baby?” She pleaded.

“I don’t know.” Leonard said in a defeated sounding way.

“Why doesn’t she come home?”

“I don’t know.” Leonard hated having to say that, but it was the truth.

“Why can’t we find her?”

“I don’t know.” Those words twisted in his heart. He was the kingdom’s and his wife’s knight in shining armor.

“Why did you call off the search?” the mother of the Lost Princess asked.

“Because, the kingdom was falling apart. Everyone was out there looking for her, just like when they searched for the flower for you. Farms were languishing, crops and animals neglected and ships left in port. I let them search longer then I dared. As much as I wanted our daughter back, I couldn’t let the kingdom starve.” The King of Corona replied.

“Why not!?” The Queen of Corona pleaded.

“Because, I am the king! It is my duty to put the kingdom first!” He began to get loud.

“And without our daughter, what happens to the kingdom then!?” The queen’s voice rose to match her husbands.

“Bad things, I know! Do you think we’ve stopped looking!? I have ordered the officers on every ship to keep an eye out, they visit a fair portion of the planet. I have search parties still out there. I am certain others have sent out people to look as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Headwoman has people searching the Highlands of Scotland. What more do you want me to do!?”

“I don’t know! I just want my baby back!” Rebecca yelled. Angry tears running down her face.

“You think I don’t want her back too!?” Leonard shouted.

“You’re not acting like it!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You didn’t even go after the kidnapper yourself that night!”

“I’m the king! I don’t go diving out of second story windows when I have guards to do that for me!” That hurt a lot. He should have done more. He was supposed to be the knight on a white horse.

“But you stopped me!”

“I had to! I could save you! It was bad enough that our daughter was in harm’s way, but you too would have been too much for me.” Leonard flings his arm toward the window.

“But it wasn’t enough! We still get people coming saying they have our daughter, but they don’t! She’s still gone!” The queen stood, the book in her hand.

“You think I don’t know that!”

“You just stand there looking out the window all the time. Don’t you feel anything anymore?”

“No, I don’t! I can’t feel anything! You feel everything! You do nothing but cry! We don’t need tears, we need an heir!”

“You think I don’t know that! You think I haven’t tried! I’ve buried thirteen children. I stayed in that bed for years! I poured my whole life into having a baby for the kingdom! But it wasn’t enough! Nothing is ever enough anymore! If you were a better king none of this would have happened!” Rebecca shouted, wanting to do something about the terrible hurt in her heart. Hurting the man who she loved most, the man who was her knight in shining armor but hadn’t protected their baby.

“None of this would have happened if you made babies that didn’t die right away!” In the terrible disappointment Leonard heard in her voice, he struck with the most hurtful thing he knew to say, because she had hurt him so badly. 

There was a terrible silence as words echoed through minds. 

Rebecca threw the book that was in her hand at her husband. He blocked it, redirected it away from his face, smashing it out and away through the window. The book landed on the soft green grass far below. 

The door opened and a maid peeked in. She saw the king and queen glaring at each other looking like they were about to go at it hammer and tongs and heard the snarl coming from the king. The king rounded on the maid and advanced on the door, the terrible look of pain and rage on his face was terrifying. The highly trained Lock Maid dove away from the door and found herself cowering under a table by the door, hiding like a child during a storm.

The king ripped open the door, banging it off the wall and strode away toward his study.

The queen went to the sideboard where some snacks were laid out and with a scream swept them to the floor. She over turned the table and the chair and the other furniture. A maid scurried in with a stack of dishes, to help the queen calm down. The queen smashed the plates against the walls of the waiting room, screaming fit to blast the walls of the palace down.

The king slammed the door of his study closed with a resounding bang. Heavy thuds from within made the walls shake.

The staff was terrified. They knew how to help the queen calm down, but most of them had never seen the king so angry. They had no idea how to help him. They had never seen the royal couple have such a fight. It was like the very foundations of the kingdom were shattering. 

Everyone in the palace and beyond tried their very best to do their work the very best they could, not matter how insignificant, if it might make the royal couple feel better. They needed the royal couple to be strong and good, that would help everything be alright, wouldn’t it? Many pillows were wet with tears that night; tears of fear, sadness and grief.

* * *

Later, near sundown, Rebecca was sitting in front of the marker for her children. There were no more tears for today, just emptiness. 

There was a quiet step nearby. 

Rebecca looked up. Her husband was standing not too far away, he was looking at her feet. 

“I’m sorry. You don’t deserve, all this.” He gestured to the marker with thirteen names and dates on it. 

“No, no one does, but it is what we have. I’m sorry. You are a good man and a good king. You did not deserve that or all what we are going through.” Rebecca said hoarsely. She scooted over and patted the space beside her. Leonard sat down and put his arm around her. She put her arm around him and her head on his shoulder. 

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. Hurting you is wrong, I’m sorry. I do love you.” Leonard said.

“I am sorry too. I hurt so much all the time. I’m sorry I took it out on you. I love you too.” Rebecca said. Leonard gave her a squeeze. 

Rebecca took a shaking breath. “I don’t know if I can do it all anymore. I feel so stretched and empty. I am in meetings with so many people that I just want to scream at because they are so meaningless. I really don’t care about what flowers are planted in which garden, or how the art is arranged in the third floor corridor on the right hand side. My worry over my baby overwhelms all that. I juggle so many things, I don’t want to drop any of them but I know I am and I am not even giving you the attention you deserve.”

“Okay, those things aren’t so important that the Headwoman can’t take care of it. What would you do? You should stay busy, I don’t want you falling into melancholy,” asked the concerned husband.

“I want to take care of my baby, but she’s gone.” Rebecca’s head and shoulders drooped.

“How about taking care of the children of the kingdom, the orphans and the schools?” Leonard suggested.

“Oh, I love helping them, I never do it enough.” Rebecca brightened. Leonard knew she was always fond of children, all of them. 

“I’m sure we can find a way to alter your duties and let you focus on the children for your duties. You are a good mother, for our children and our kingdom,” said Leonard.

“Oh, thank you.” Rebecca said hugging her husband tight then relaxing. Relaxing more deeply then she had in a long time. She was feeling a deep relief by putting down all the things she felt she needed to juggle.

They sat in silence for a long time. 

“Leonard, are you alright?” Rebecca asked, feeling the tension in her husband’s body. She seemed to be able to feel it so easily now.

“Of course I am,” said Leonard stoically.

She sat back and looked him in the eyes. “No, you are not.”

She took up his bandaged hands, “I know how I am feeling now and how I was feeling. I know you are feeling the need to be strong for all of us. You are the king, the knight of the kingdom. You have to be strong for the people, holding the kingdom up, but it’s okay now. I’m sorry that I haven’t let you come down off the white horse and take off the armor and rest. It’s okay now. I won’t hurt you. You can put it down for a while now. I love you. Please, put it down.” Rebecca put her hand on the side of his face. 

She could see it in his eyes as he was remembering how to put everything down. It took time, but she was seeing her husband again and not just the king. He took her hand, and he had tears running into his beard. “I love you and I miss our babies so much.” They touched foreheads.

“I know. I do too. It’s okay. There, there. I love you too,” said Rebecca as they held each other close in their openness and vulnerability. 

“We are all still alive. There is still hope and we will get though even this.” Rebecca said quietly.

“We are all still alive. There is still hope and we will get though even this,” intoned Leonard, hoping that it was true. 

They leaned against each other for a quiet while.

“I love you. I forgive you,” said Leonard.

“I love you and forgive you too,” said Rebecca.

They then said the names of all their children. 

To remember them forever.

They hugged each other tight and watched the clouds change from white to red and orange as the sun set. As the stars came out, they wished again for their baby to come home.


	15. Rapunzel Meets Her Parents

After what felt like several sunlit days the newly rejoined royal family and Eugene stood up. Eugene helped up the king, while Rapunzel helped up the queen. They stayed very close to one another. Rapunzel and her mother holding hands and the king had his arm around the waist of the queen and Eugene had an arm around the shoulders of Rapunzel, his other hand still in the queen’s.

That hug was one of the most precious memories that Eugene now had. It was the second best hug ever. Even better then the one Rapunzel and he had shared that morning.

For several beautiful minutes he actually felt like he was part of a family, with real parents and everything. Something he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Rapunzel was far more important to him then anything, even life itself, he thought to himself, feeling the dried blood on his side. 

The King held Rapunzel at arms length beside the Queen, “She looks so much like you; the Test must have been superfluous.

“Please, let’s go inside and sit, so we can hear your story,” invited the king as he wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulders and led her to the doors, which were opened by a pair of those guards with the crossed sashes.

Eugene’s hand took the queen's and he gave it a squeeze as the king and Rapunzel went up the stairs toward the door and out of hearing. She turned toward him; a question on her smiling face. For a few minutes, Eugene had felt like he was really part of a family again, but he had to do this.

“Your Majesty,” he began, but paused, concern written on his face in big, bold letters and then blurted, “Okay, there is absolutely no good or easy way to say this and there isn’t time for anything else. Please, don’t tell her you love her.” Eugene said with a wince.

The queen’s jaw dropped open and her large green eyes nearly bugged out of her head. 

“I know that you really want to tell her that right now, but her captor told her she loved her. It was a way to keep her in the tower. I know you have no reason to trust me. But to say it now would only be to hurt her and you. I found that out the hard way and I don’t want either of you hurting each other.”

The Queen looked after her smiling husband and daughter walking down the corridor. Sadness filled the queen’s eyes as she looked back at the person she saw as Flynn Rider.

“I’m sorry, it may take a little while to overcome this. Please, tell the king or stop him somehow. Find a different word or phrase and use that for now. I know it’s hard. You have absolutely no reason to trust me, but I love her too. I don’t want you to see that pain in her eyes. Please.” Eugene said desperately, hoping she would believe him.

She nodded, slowly and sadly.

They quickly followed the king and Rapunzel down the hall to the private section of the palace.

 

* * *

 

This had been killing Eugene on the walk to the palace. 

After they had escaped the guards at the Snuggly Duckling, he had entertained a few brief thoughts about setting up some modest place and becoming a horse trader or something relatively honest as the biggest dream he could handle for giving her a good life. 

After she had healed him with her hair, it was obvious she was a witch, a sorceress or someone magical and powerful. She might be calling all the shots and providing for them, but he still wanted to do something for her and their children. 

But she wasn’t a witch. She was a princess, and not just any princess, but The Lost Princess. 

Flynn Rider exulted; she was the ultimate Get Out Of Jail Free Card, bringing her home would mean a total pardon and a clean slate, maybe even a really big pile of money. The reward for returning the Lost Princess was huge.

Eugene Fitzherbert despaired; he couldn’t use her again. In the past two days she’d saved his life four times... five now that she passed the Test. She had offered up her life; more lifetimes than he could understand, he now knew, to save him. She had promised. The pain of that promise had overshadowed the knife in his belly. At least he had been able to prevent her from being taken, and she had _still_ saved him again. 

Flynn Rider might be a lovable rogue and best thief in the kingdom, but that still meant he moved around a lot. That was no life for a married couple, even Flynn wanted to marry Goldie.

Eugene Fitzherbert knew that he’d never be in any way equal to The Lost Princess. He wanted to be the best husband he could be for the princess. That meant being the best person he knew how to be. That meant owning up to everything he had done and face the consequences, if he was going to have any chance at all of gaining the royal couple’s approval.

_“They’ll kill us,”_ said Flynn Rider to Eugene Fitzherbert.

_“Maybe,”_ said Eugene Fitzherbert to Flynn Rider.

_“Do you actually think that would be worth it?”_

_“It’s for Rapunzel, there is no other answer, but yes.”_

_“It’s not just your life.”_

_“I’ve been dead before.”_

Eugene and the Queen caught up with the King and Rapunzel partway down the corridor. 

Flynn was getting antsy, there were a lot a guards around now, and even half a dozen of those freaky guards with the fez. Running was less and less of an option.

They walked most of the way across the palace to the private wing and were escorted into what looked like a small dining room.

Eugene took a deep breath, he was in really deep and there was no turning back, not anymore, and said, “Sir, ma’am. I know you want to spend all kinds of time with your daughter, but I need to tell you some things right now, because they are important. I am Flynn Rider.” 

The King and Queen nodded, they knew full well who he was, even with the nose.

“Eugene,” Rapunzel said admonishingly from within the loving arms of her father. The king and queen looked confused, why was their daughter calling Flynn Rider, Eugene? Eugene looked down at her and Flynn Rider retreated under that loving gaze. 

Turning back to the king and queen, he started again, after clearing his throat. “I _was_ Flynn Rider. Flynn Rider died in a tower hidden deep in the forest trying to save your daughter.” 

He gestured to the blood crusted hole in his vest and shirt, “Who saved him instead. I am Eugene Fitzherbert.”

The royal couple shared a look and looking back at Eugene and their daughter, the King said, “That sounds like quite the story, and we’d better sit down and hear it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Eugene had a much different take on what was happening then what you might think. Rapunzel was weird but harmless, at least until she showed off her magic powers. Suddenly he’s dealing with someone far more powerful then he expected. It’s a world with magic in it. Not a lot of magic but powerful, dangerous stuff. A witch, an enchantress, maybe even a fairy, and he still fell in love with her. Then he finds out just who she really is and it’s completely different from what he thought she was.  
> But he wants/needs to take responsibility and become the man he really is and needs to be for her. Eugene’s been asleep for a long time, but now it is time to shine. But the thief isn’t going away so easily.  
> Eugene knows that the concept of love is messed up inside Rapunzel, the most insidious part of Gothel. It will be tough on the family until they overcome it.


	16. Eugene’s Story

The guards ushered them to a dining room, with a small table where they could sit close to each other. There were several candelabras with lit candles around the room, filling the room with a warm, honey scent. The sun was seeking its’ bed and the east facing room was somewhat dark even though it was mostly white.

“Please, just don’t freak out” Rapunzel asked her parents.

Eugene gave a small smile at that request, as they sat around the table heaped with several small easy-to-eat items. Fancy things he had tasted at parties he had crashed. They looked somewhat tempting, they had saved the apples for Maximus to get him home. The Snuggly Duckling had been empty; everyone was in prison. His stomach was clenched too tight to eat though. His concern about keeping himself alive and telling the King something so that he would have a chance at staying with Rapunzel was gnawing at his belly.

“Please, eat if you are hungry,” invited the Queen as they settled around the table.

For Rapunzel, the tension of the test and meeting her parents was fading and now Rapunzel’s stomach was rumbling. She hadn’t had anything today, since the cupcakes yesterday. She had been too sad to eat. She liked to cook but didn’t eat all that much most days. For all her activities, there wasn’t all that much to do in the Tower. But suddenly she was starving, like she was having a growth spurt, or that famine they survived a few years ago. Rapunzel’s hunger was asserting itself, but she didn’t recognize any of the food on the table. Mother had often told her how hard it was to find food that was safe to eat. She was poking at the different foods looking for something she knew. Rapunzel’s nostrils flared as she could smell hazelnut soup in the room somewhere. 

Rapunzel gave a gasp of happiness when she opened the soup terrine and found hazelnut soup. She dragged it in front of her and started to eat with the ladle since it was available. She thought that the bowl and spoon where unusually large, and weirdly shaped, but she could make it work.

“Ah, dear...” started Queen Rebecca. 

Rapunzel stopped with the ladle in front of her mouth, looked up at the person who gave her life. She was so hungry that she kept looking back down again, but had to swallow to control the saliva that so desperately wanted to engage the food.

Eugene shook his head and signaled that it was okay, so Rapunzel won’t see.

“...don’t forget your napkin,” finished the Queen, awkwardly. The King and Queen shared a look, how on earth was their daughter raised, that she ate right from the terrine?   
Rapunzel dug in while Eugene started his story.

“It all started three days ago when I stole the Crown of the Lost Princess, the greatest challenge of my criminal career.” Eugene paused with a wince as the King gave him a stony look. 

“I’m sorry. I betrayed my partners in crime and stole the crown from them while leaving them to face the palace guards alone. But I was still being chased. As I was trying to get away from Maximus the palace horse -- a really good horse, by the way, he deserves a promotion, he’s in the stable now recovering because he ran so hard to help me rescue your daughter -- I stumbled upon a hidden tower.

“I couldn’t find an entrance, but it looked challenging to get in. I couldn’t turn that challenge down, so I had to climb up to the window. I closed the shutters and paused to admire my treasure. But it turned out that it wasn’t a good choice of hiding place. She was already in there and knocked me out with her frying pan.” He flung a thumb at Rapunzel then rubbed the back of his head ruefully. 

The King gave his forehead a rub as he gave his Queen a special look. Queen Rebecca gave a silvery laugh and touched my husbands arm, as they remembered their first meeting, where she hit him in the forehead with an apple.

“She hid the crown, tied me up with her some of her 70 feet of blonde hair and proposed a deal. That I take her to see the floating lanterns the next day and return her safely home before she would return the crown. I agreed since I had little choice at that point. Not to say I didn’t try to scare her back to her tower, I even took her to the Snuggly Duckling.” Eugene finished lamely. The Queen gasped and the King frowned. Eugene winced again.

“Where, ah, she charmed the whole place in about 5 minutes, and rescued me from the thugs who wanted the reward,” he finished ruefully.

The Queen smiled proudly at her daughter.

“But then we had to escape the guards, so we were shown a secret passage that came out by the dam. As we were getting away, the dam broke.” Eugene’s fingers were making running motions across the table.

“You did that?” asked the King.

Eugene threw up his hands, “The dam was not my fault! Maximus broke the dam and we ended up in a collapsed mine entrance with the water coming in. We almost drowned, but she made her hair glow and we found a way out.”

“Made her hair glow?” the Queen asked slowly, trading a look with her husband, her eyebrows up in her hair. The King’s eyes narrowed, that sounded so bizarre, but was it too crazy to be a lie? Pascal and Rapunzel nodded as Rapunzel paused from eating the soup. It was the best hazelnut soup she ever had, so rich and creamy; not thin and watery, like Mother used to make.

Eugene was sitting on the edge of seat, “I know I’m going fast here, but you need the bones of the story so you know how we got here. It’s going to take days to get all the details straight. I learned new things when we were talking to the Seneschal. By the end of the first day she had saved my life twice. I had been so annoyed at her hiding my rightfully stolen loot and forcing me to babysit her to the kingdom to see the lanterns. But she had been so generous and good that I couldn’t help wanting to be good to her in return.

“Then we got to the island. Excuse me for saying this, but even for a celebration, the kingdom is a little on the down side. I know because you all miss the Lost Princess, but everywhere she went happiness broke out. Doing a chalk painting in the square, and then dozens of kids were doing it too. Even when we stopped for dinner I was standing in line for some bread and cheese and the next thing I know a dance had broken out around her.” Eugene looked over at Rapunzel with great affection. The King and Queen were looking amazed. They had noticed that the people in the plaza at the launch were happier than they usually were. Was it all because of their daughter?

“Then I took her out in a little boat so she would have the best view possible of the lanterns for the best day of her life. She actually gave me back the crown and I realized that I didn’t care about it any more, only her.” He gave Rapunzel a quick loving look.

“Then I saw the Stabbington brothers on the shore, my former partners in crime. They still cared about the crown, or so I thought. I was going to give it to them so I could stay with her and turn it all around. But they knew about her magic hair; they knocked me out, tied me to a boat and sent me back to the docks where I was captured. She was saved by her ‘mother’ who had actually betrayed her,” He gave the queen a significant look. Trying get the queen to understand that Rapunzel still thought of ‘mother’ as her mother.

“Then Maximus and the Thugs from the Snuggly Duckling broke me out of the prison.”

“Oh, those were such darling men. I don’t think they really want to be ruffians,” injected Rapunzel, the ladle in front of her mouth. The Queen raised her eyebrows.

“Skipping a lot of detail,” added Eugene, holding up his hand, as the King looked like he was going to interrupt.

“Maximus and I raced to the tower. I called for her, and her hair came down. I climbed up so happy to have found her, but I found her chained and gagged, and then her mother stabbed me. I fell to the floor on the shards of a broken mirror. She was fighting her mother harder then ever. She promised to go with her peacefully if she was allowed to heal me first.

“I couldn’t let her do that, her ‘mother’ had betrayed everyone and we were all going to die, I feared that she was next. So when she was getting ready to heal me I pretended to want to kiss her, but instead I cut off her magic hair with a shard of the mirror, so she couldn’t keep that promise. I would have rather died then let her be in the hands of that woman.” He finished fiercely, banging his fist on the table.

“Eugene, you did die,” Rapunzel reminded him, grabbing Eugene’s fist and holding it close to her face. The thought of Eugene dying frightened her at the deepest levels.

“Oh, yeah, I did, didn’t I?” he said with a hand on his torn and bloody vest, looking at Rapunzel with more than just his eyes. “Why do I keep forgetting that? That had been quite the experience.” Eugene opened his hand and cupped her chin. “And you saved me yet again,” he said gently and lovingly. The King and Queen’s share a look, the Queen’s eyes were shining in the candlelight.

Eugene turned back to the Royal Couple. “She was also the one who figured out that she was the Lost Princess too. So we came back here, so she could be with her real parents.” Eugene gestured to the King and Queen.

The Queen had tears running down her face and the King came around and gave them both another hug.

The King was kneeling between his daughter and Flynn Rider and noticed the red and black bruising on his daughter’s wrists for the first time. Taking her by the forearm, he looked at Flynn Rider and rumbled in a grim voice, “Where did these come from?”

The Queen gasped.

Eugene squirmed and said quietly, “I ...kinda, sorta ...did that.”

Rapunzel put her hand on the hand of her father on her arm. “No! Please, it wasn’t his fault. Mother was the one that put me in chains, and threw my hair out of the window. Mother was the one pulling on them so hard. She wanted to take me away again, so no one would ever find me again. Eugene found me and saved me. He didn’t know he was pulling on me. Please.”

The King looked at his daughter, the abject begging he heard in her voice tore at his heart, and then gazed at Flynn Rider for a long moment, nodded, then stood.

Eugene looked up at the King as he went back to his chair. The King was formidable, and was not happy with him. “Sir, I know you have no reason to trust me. I was a thief, I even stole the most valuable treasure your kingdom had to offer. But now there is nothing more important to me then your daughter. I gave the crown away, because all I wanted was to be with her and I thought that giving it away would protect her. I didn’t know she was the Lost Princess.

“I broke out of your prison to try and save her so I could be with her again. Two days ago my dream was to have a castle in some far off land, surrounded by money and to be alone. Now, I would trade the world just to be with your daughter. I know I must pay for my crimes and I will accept any punishment you feel appropriate, even if you must hang me.” Eugene said seriously, sitting up straight, though his bowels felt weak.

“Oh, please don’t hang him.” Rapunzel pleaded. She dragged Eugene close and wrapped her arms around him.

The King got up and began to pace, the near panic in his daughter’s eyes concerned him. “Hanging you would be the just thing to do. The law demands your life for your crimes. Your death warrant is already signed.” Eugene nodded. The Captain of the Guard had been taking him to the gallows.

“But you have returned our beloved daughter. You could have asked for any boon, up to half the kingdom and I would have given it to you gladly. You could have asked for a pardon, but no, you ask for punishment.” The King looked at the man known as Flynn Rider, as if he could hardly believe what is happening.

“You have asked for justice and my daughter for mercy. In this kingdom I rule by law, so justice might be served. I do not rule by whim, history has shown us that rule by whim destroys a country from within. But to hang you would cause pain to my daughter and I would not cause her pain for all the world. The two of you have placed me in a dilemma and I must consider this.” The King shook his head.

The Queen looked grim. Rapunzel was so scared, she couldn’t lose Eugene again. She brought Eugene’s head close and they touched foreheads.


	17. Justice and Mercy

The King stopped pacing behind his chair. 

The King desperately missed his daughter. Dealing with this ...this criminal, Flynn Rider of all people, was taking time from that. He knew he still had to try being a good king. He shouldn’t want to throw the kingdom away just because his only child was back. Rescued by the second most wanted criminal from the most wanted criminal in the history of the kingdom.

“But I need to hear more of the story if I am to judge wisely. You said the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling helped you escape and Maximus too. I was told we captured a large number of men this morning because of your jailbreak. I presume these are the thugs you are talking about.” The King asked Eugene, while leaning an arm on the back of the chair.

Eugene nodded. 

Rapunzel sat forward, “Please. They aren’t bad people. HookHand just wants to be a concert pianist. BigNose wants to find true love. Attila wants to make cupcakes. They’re all like that, they just look scary, but they’re really sweet inside. Please, don’t hurt them.”

The King gave his daughter a stricken look, from behind his chair, “Don’t you understand what you are asking? To release one prisoner would be bad, but to release so many would undermine our whole system of justice that we’ve worked so hard to develop.”

Rapunzel looked to Eugene, she didn’t know what a whole system of justice was, but the grim look on Eugene’s face frightened her. Was coming home a bad? Rapunzel put her hands to her mouth.

The King gripped the back of his fish-carved chair, looked down and said quietly, “And I would do it, too. I would destroy the kingdom, just to have you back.” He looked at his daughter, “Your birth meant everything to us.” 

He walked around and knelt before his Queen and took her hand and looked at her with loving eyes. ”We had tried so hard, so many doctors, so many midwives, all those miscarriages, to produce an heir. Finally, you were pregnant and the baby was growing well, but then you became sick.” 

“There was a story... a rumor... a fairy tale really. A magic, golden flower out there somewhere that could heal anything. We have good people in our kingdom and when they heard, they turned out. The entire kingdom mobilized, the very old watching the very young. Everyone else left the cities and villages to search. Not because I ordered it, but because they wanted to, out of love for the Queen. They are worthy of a good King. A better King then I..., because I would betray them all to have my daughter back.” He bowed his head onto the knees of his loving queen, who stroked his head. 

Rapunzel had her face in her hands, tears streaming down her face too. She should have never left the Tower. The people of the kingdom had shown her parents and herself great love in doing that, but why did it hurt so much?

Eugene had an arm around Rapunzel, and was trying to find something to say to the king to help his pain.

“Sire, if I may,” said the Seneschal into the silence, from near the door. They looked toward the Seneschal. “The people love you too, and they know you are a father with a taken child. They would forgive you. I know many of them would gladly go into slavery to let you have your daughter back. I would go.” Mortimer finished quietly.

The King nodded sadly, that didn’t help him feel any better, but worse. He didn’t feel worthy of this kind of love, but he had to try. “But first of all, I need to hear as much of the story possible. So I can judge rightly.” 

The king stood and turned to a guard, “Bring the leader of those thugs.” 

The guard saluted and left.

“I’m so sorry,” started Rapunzel. “I dreamt that this would have been a happy occasion. I should never have left the tower.” 

“No, no, it is a happy occasion,” said the King gently, turning to his daughter, “just not simple. I doubt things were all that complicated if you lived in tower with only one other person.”

Rapunzel shook her head, life in the tower had been complicated too. It least, it had felt that way to her. “I... I was going to trade my freedom, just to be able to save Eugene. I promised to go with Mother; that everything would go back the way it was, and that we would be together forever. It would have been forever too.” She began to explain to the king, the person who was her father, but what did that mean? 

“Mother was very old, there were hints, she would refer to things that happened long ago in my books that seemed to be something she experienced, and how she died.” Rapunzel shivered as she remembered Mother screaming in pain.

“My hair could heal anything, even hold back aging, and apparently even death. I promised I would never run or even try to escape just so I could heal Eugene so he wouldn’t die. He was my new dream and I couldn’t let him die,” she glanced shyly at Eugene.

Eugene looked deeply back into her eyes, “And you were my new dream. I could not let you keep that promise. You were choosing a fate worse then death. What she would have done to you, I could not allow. She would have destroyed you. I’m sorry that I made that choice for you. You needed to be free of her so your spirit could soar. Frankly, I didn’t think that cutting your hair would actually kill her, much less like that.” Eugene finished with concern in his voice, gently touching her hair with the back of his fingers.

“What happened?” asked the Queen intently, leaning forward.

Rapunzel answered, turning toward her real mother. “She got old, very old, very quickly. I’ve seen her come home from a long journey and her hair would be white and her eyes sunken and her hands crippled. But I would sing for her, and she would be young again. She always aged quickly. After even a couple of days her hair would be streaked with grey and she would be wrinkled. But this time…” Rapunzel shuddered. 

“This time it was much worse. The skin on her hands looked like thin paper. Her hair became all bluey-white. Her face was covered in wrinkles. Her voice got all rough. And then... and then her hands started to crumble, like chalk. She was screaming and I couldn’t take away the pain anymore. Then she fell out the window and I couldn’t catch her, I’m so sorry.” Rapunzel began to weep.

The King was looking revolted by the description of what happened to the Kidnapper. He had ordered men to their deaths, even some of his own soldiers to save the many. He had even signed the death warrant of the man sitting next to his daughter. He had collected so many techniques to torture the kidnapper, but it felt like what happened to her was far worse than anything he had found. 

The Queen came around and hugged her daughter. Queen Rebecca was trying to look gentle and comforting to her daughter. Inside, though, Rebecca rejoiced at that thought that the Kidnapper had died screaming. She hoped that it had been slow and that it hurt as much as taking her daughter from her did. She prayed that the Kidnapper was writhing in hell now.


	18. Maximus Saves the Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: A short interstitial about how Maximus was able to get the Pub Thugs to break Flynn out of prison.

Maximus was sitting on the dock, waiting for the wonderful blonde girl and Flynn Rider to come back. He was a good horse and had left a few apples, since Flynn Rider had said he had bought most of them. That was mean, he didn’t know which ones had been stolen. 

When he saw the guards take Flynn Rider away, Flynn kept calling Rapunzel’s name. She must be in worse trouble then he was, and he was being taken to prison. 

That’s a bad sign.

He had seen the little boat float towards the dock for a long time. He had seen it get closer and closer, as he watched out for the boat Flynn and Rapunzel had gone out in. Maximus ran through town and over the bridge to where he thought Flynn had come from. 

Maximus snuffled around and found the Stabbington brothers out cold on the beach. He could smell Flynn and Rapunzel and Pascal. 

There was someone else too, someone new, someone that smelled familiar. 

It was the lady who ran away in the forest. He could smell that Rapunzel went with her.

Who was she and why did Rapunzel go off with her? This was a big problem.

He followed the scent trail, but lost it crossing a stream. He went back and found the two men again. They were coming around, so he grabbed one of their swords and took them to the watch at the bridge. Getting scratches and an apple was nice, but he still had to find the girl. 

Maximus paced around the square at the end of the bridge, thinking hard.

She needed to be saved, he knew that. 

She was a good girl, the nicest girl he’s ever met. She understood him, like few others. She was wonderful and special. The only one who knew where she could be would be Flynn and he was in prison. 

Maximus stopped to think about this. Drinking a little from the fountain by the bridge. 

Maximus was a good horse, he wasn’t the mount of the Captain of the Palace guard for nothing. The other horses took his orders too. 

Helping Rapunzel have a good birthday was good, but her disappearing like that was wrong. To save Rapunzel, which was good, he would have to get Flynn out of prison and that was wrong.

He was a smart horse, but things were usually good or wrong. Doing a wrong thing just wasn’t in his nature, but this seemed to a time were doing a wrong was the good thing to do, so he could do more good things. 

Like when he broke out of his stall when there was a fire and got the other horses out too.

Maximus knew he had to get Flynn of of the prison so they could save Rapunzel.

But how to get Flynn out of the prison? The guards wouldn’t listen to a horse. His rider was a good guy, but didn’t know about Rapunzel and so wouldn’t really care. Besides the Captain of the Guard had been really anger at Flynn for so long, he’d not want to let him go. 

The only people he knew that might listen would be those thugs at the Snuggly Duckling. They were bad and should be in prison but they would be the only men able to get Flynn out of the prison. They also knew about Rapunzel and he should be able to get through to them about her. 

Maximus galloped off to the wildly leaning pub. He barged in and quickly found Hookhand. “What are you doing here again? We ain’t doing nothing.”

Max looked around. Yes! There was a poster of Flynn on the door, he pointed at it. 

“What? Flynn ain’t here, either.” Hookhand said.

Max made an exasperated sound.

“Oh, you know that already.” Max nodded.

Hookhand’s eyes narrowed, “So there is something else going on then.” Max nodded eagerly.

“Something to do with Flynn?” Max shook his head

“Not Flynn. Who then?” Max pointed to the empty spot next to the wanted poster. 

“The door?” Head shake with an exasperated exhalation.

“Okay. Someone next to him.”

“Oh, oh. I know, the Stabbington brothers,” said Vlad, holding up another wanted poster. Max shook his head.

The thugs started shouting out random names. “ _This wasn’t working! I'm never going to save the nice girl!”_ Maximus started banging his head against the door. 

“Hey, I don’t appreciate being call dumb, especially by a horse. Don’t get all frustrated at me, you need to come up with better clues,” shouted HookHand over the noise.

Max started to pace, he saw the drunk midget on a low stool. He went over to him and draped his white tail over him. 

“Hey, that tickles,” slurred Shorty. There were a few rude laughs about it, but Max ignored them and pointed at Flynn, and back to his tail and waggled it over the midget. He could see them thinking about it as he kept pointed to one and then the other. 

He could have sworn that one of them had smoke coming out of his ears, but he may have been just too close to the fire. 

“The girl! The blonde girl that was with Flynn yesterday,” called BigNose. 

_“Finally!_ ” thought Maximus, neighing loudly. He would have reared and pawed the air, but it was too small in the pub for a display like that. They all cheered at that. 

When things quieted down Hookhand asked, “The girl, she’s in trouble, isn’t she?” Max nodded again.

“From Flynn?” Head shake.

“Okay. She’s in trouble, but not from Flynn. Do you know where she is?” Again a head shake.

“The girl is in trouble, but you don’t know where? That makes it hard to help her.”

Max nodded and pointed to Flynn again.

“Flynn? Does he know where she is?” Nod.

“Do you know where Flynn is?” Nod again.

“Well, where is he?” Maximus gave him an ‘Are you kidding me?’ look.

“Yeah, right, that would a problem. Okay, lead the way.” They opened the door and followed Maximus out.

The short, wide thug that still had blood in his mustache was the last one out, commented in his low, slow voice. “I hope we don’t have to break him out of jail,” as he shut the door behind them.


	19. HookHand’s Story

The doors to the family dining room were opened by palace guards, their breastplates reflecting the light of the candles. HookHand clanked in, his hook had been taken; there were handcuffs and, just to be sure, there were shackles around his ankles. The guards had also taken HookHand’s armor so all that was left was his roughly-made brown jerkin and leather kilt.

“The prisoner HookHand, your Majesty.” A guard announced. 

Hookhand saw the King standing next to a small, food-filled table looking at Flynn Rider sitting next to a crying brunette girl he didn’t recognize, whom the Queen was hugging.

HookHand knew he was in trouble, but now it just got a lot worse. This was the worst room he had ever walked in to. Being pulled out of your cell in the middle of the night was never a good sign. Being led into a room where the tension was so thick you could cut it with a spoon, was worse. There was also a crying girl. He did not like being around crying girls, they tended to make life complicated.

The King turned, and HookHand saw a look of revulsion on his face. He was used to that look, but for once it didn’t seem to be directed at him. “So, you are supposed to be the leader of the thugs of the Snuggly Duckling?”

“Er, yes, sire.” That wasn’t strictly true. He had been elected the leader of the last pirate expedition they ran, and was now the owner of the Snuggly Duckling. Mostly, they were just independent operators, though they did come to him to resolve disputes often enough. 

HookHand considered his options quickly. Lying to a magistrate is one thing, lying to the King in what was obviously an emotional charged conversion was quite another. HookHand knew that he would hang at some point. The story was good enough that it might as well be for what actually happened.

“Well, this man here says that you broke him out of my prison this morning.” The king asked authoritatively, gesturing to Flynn.

“Uh, yes, sire,” said HookHand, sparing Flynn a glance.

“Now why would you do that?” The question was not rhetorical.

“A horse asked us to,” HookHand stopped and blinked. 

“ _Did that just sound as insane as I thought it did?_ ” he thought to himself. The girl and Flynn exchanged a look. 

_“Yup, it sure did, I am so dead,”_ thought HookHand.

“A horse?” The King asked slowly.

“Yes, one of your horses. Maximus, Sire.” HookHand tried to explain, but saying it out loud just made it sound even more insane. HookHand winced.

“And why would one of _my_ horses want to break a wanted criminal out of _my_ prison? Please, start from the beginning. I think I would really like to hear this story.” The King turned a cream-colored, fish-embroidered chair toward him, sat leaning forward, putting one hand under his chin, with his elbow on his knee.

HookHand got a rather sick feeling in his stomach. Wondering just how good this story really was. Saying the first part out loud sounded so insane, that even if he didn’t hang, he would never be free again. 

They had broken Flynn out to rescue the blonde girl and now, here he was sitting, with the King, with some brunette girl and not even in chains. He was going to have to do something about Flynn. He liked the blonde girl and having her double-crossed by Flynn was not sitting well with him.

Still the story was good enough to be worth the truth and it might get Flynn in trouble too.

“Well, this morning we were eating breakfast at the Snuggly Duckling and then Maximus comes barging in. He looks at me and I tell him, we ain’t doing nothing wrong. Then he goes and points at one of Flynn Rider’s wanted posters. I tell him that he ain’t there either and he chased them out of there just day before yesterday.”

“Them? Them who?” interrupted the King. Flynn looked like he was going to say something, but the Queen shushed him.

“Flynn and the blonde girl, I really liked the girl, she had a good dream, not like Flynn here.” “ _Why was the strange girl smiling at him?”_ Thought Hookhand.

The King sat back in his chair and cocked his head. “Hm, I don’t think you started far enough back? Start again, but two days ago with Flynn and the blonde girl.”

“Okay. Well, Flynn comes barging into the place with a girl with really, really long blonde hair and a frying pan. Flynn is acting like he owns the place, which we really didn’t like and I don’t think he realized just how big a price you put on his head. I wanted to take him in to buy a new hook.” He gestured with his stump. 

“We were going to divvy him up between us. I was about to put him down when the girl got my attention. She started talking about how she needed him to live her dream of seeing the lanterns. You know, the lanterns you send up for the princess.” 

The King nodded. HookHand ducked his head. “Well, that reminded me of my own unfulfilled dream, to be a concert pianist. Before you know it, everyone is confessing their secret dreams to her in front of everyone.”

“Like what?” asked the King, sounding mildly curious. 

“Um, BigNose wants true love, Gunther wants to be an interior designer, Olf wants to be a mime, and Attila likes to bake cupcakes and things like that. Good stuff, not like Flynn who just wants to be alone with a big pile of money,” he shot Flynn a look. The King turned and gave Flynn an appraising look too. Eugene had the grace to look abashed.

“Well, then the guards and Maximus showed up, but since the girl was so nice, we hid them and I showed them the hidden exit. I told her to go live her dream and she gave me a kiss, which was really nice.” He said with a smile at the memory. 

“ _Now why is the girl blushing?_ ” thought HookHand. 

“But Maximus figured out the hidden passage and they all took off down the exit. That’s the last we saw of them until this morning, when Maximus arrived. He wanted to rescue the blonde girl, but didn’t know where she was, but he did know where Flynn was and he knew where to find the blonde girl.

“The horse didn’t, er, couldn’t say where he was, so he lead us there. Assaulting the prison was not our idea, but we all really liked the girl and did it for her. Even though we never liked Flynn. We launched him off of a cart onto Maximus so he could rescue the blonde girl.” He shot another glare at Flynn, who sat quietly as the queen had a hand on his wrist, reaching across the brunette girl.

“Then your men captured us.” HookHand finished.

The King sat back and steepled his fingers in front of him and gave HookHand a long look. After what felt like a few days, the King said, “Thank you, your story has given me much to consider. You are to be returned to your cell now.” The King stood and turned to face Flynn and the women. The guards stepped up next to HookHand.

“Sire, please, one boon. What happened to the blonde girl we were trying to rescue?” HookHand asked almost desperately. 

“ _They had thrown their miserable lives away to save the girl, where was she? Was she okay?_ ” Hookhand thought.

Flynn and the brunette girl looked like they were going to say something, but the King waved them off and turned, “Flynn and Maximus rescued her and she is safe. Your concern speaks well of you. That will be taken into consideration for your sentencing.” 

The King waved to the guards. HookHand sighed in relief as he clanked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something that doesn’t come up too often is just how radically different Rapunzel looks between her long blonde and short brunette hair. We know she is the same girl, but HookHand has other things on his mind and isn’t able to take the time to really look at her.


	20. Decisions

The King waited for the door to close. The mantle of authority he had taken on for dealing with the prisoner dropped away. 

Eugene was impressed with how quickly and easily the King switched demeanors.

The King dragged one of the white brocade fish chairs over so he could sit knee to knee with his now grown-up daughter. The King took her small hand in his, it felt warm as he covered it with his other hand. He looked in wonder at his daughter. “How did you do that? He’s a hardened criminal, suspected to have killed at least one person over an insult. We bring him here in chains, he knows is facing the death penalty, yet all of his concern is on a girl he just met two days ago. He gave up his freedom to rescue a man he didn’t even like, just to give you a chance, not an assurance but only a chance, to be rescued. He didn’t know who you were then and didn’t even recognize you now. He didn’t even know your name and he mounted an assault on the prison to rescue the one person who knew where you were, all on the word of a horse!?” Stunned amazement was the best way to describe what the King was feeling.

The Queen was gazing on Rapunzel with a look of awe. Eugene’s mouth was hanging open, everyone had done all that for them for basically no good reason. Pascal was giving everyone a smug look from Rapunzel’s shoulder, meaning “See, I told you she was a Princess.”

Rapunzel was stunned. She looked to her real mother and then to Eugene “I-I don’t know, I just told them what I was trying to do; to live the dream that was in my heart for all these years. In return, they spilled out their dreams to me. Please, there must be some way to help him and the others.”

“I hope we can too, if these are the criminals in our kingdom…” The King shook his head with a rueful smile. He looked over to his faithful Seneschal, “Mortimer, you do understand the problem we’re facing here?”

The Seneschal moved from beside the door, into the light of the candelabras, which reflected off of his balding head. “Yes, sire. Your daughter has returned in the company of a known criminal, who was rescued by a band of criminals and you need to find a way to release them to make your daughter happy, without destroying the justice system of your kingdom.”

“Very good, we also need to spend as much time together as possible, so I want you to rouse the Privy Council and get them solving this for us. I fear I am not able to make the best decisions right now. I feel that there is a good solution here somewhere, but I just can’t remember what it is for some reason.” He smiled at his daughter. He had imagined that having his daughter back would be distracting, but this felt as distracting as the day he had married his bride; whose hand he now squeezed. Now it was past time to activate the plans they had made to deal with all this.

Rapunzel smiled shyly back, she really didn’t think that coming home would make such a big mess of things. She had thought that meeting her parents would be loving, joyful and all happily-ever-after kind of thing, not precipitating a crisis for a justice system, whatever that was, but it sounded so terribly important.

“Yes, sire, I understand, sire. You can count on us.” He turned and the guards opened the doors smoothly as he left.

The King leaned toward his daughter, “We have heard this man’s story and the story of some criminals, and even a horse’s story. Now, _finally,_ we get to your story. I know you must be exhausted, you looked so very tired, but we’ve been waiting so long. We’ll just listen and it can be short, we’ll tease out details tomorrow.”


	21. Names

Rapunzel was trying to handle so many new things, so many people, so many feelings.

Here she was sitting in the palace, her new ...old home. It was bigger than the canyon her tower sat in. All the rooms seemed to be rectangles, which she thought odd, the tower had been round.

Next to her with his arm around her was her new dream Eugene, she’d pulled his chair close to her, to protect him. 

Sitting in front of her, their knees almost touching, were her parents, her real parents. Everyone was so close to her. 

Somehow, she was getting the feeling of safety and protection from them. She had been anxious around Mother, sometimes.

So many new things she was learning, but not sure where to put them in her head. Persons were so different from Mother and herself, some had extra hair on their faces, but different from Eugene and her father. Some persons, like the Seneschal were missing hair from the top of their heads. She had been on the lookout for persons with pointy teeth, but there were none so far. 

Everything that was happening made so little sense. She had grown up alone and ignorant in her tower, and didn’t have any hooks in her mind to hang what she was learning on. 

Rapunzel was rubbing the wrist her father was holding again and trying not to move her neck and shoulders too much. So much of her body hurt, but her magic hair was gone and she couldn’t fix it. She didn’t know what to think of that. So much of what she had been, had been her hair. She couldn’t think about that right now. She had to meet her parents.

Everything was so strange. There didn’t seem to be anything familiar around her except Pascal and Eugene. Poor Pascal was hurt and he was asleep now on the table. 

The guards with the funny hats were by the doors. A girl in black and white clothes was tending the candles. They were using nearly as many candles to light this one room as she would make in half a day. Mother never let them use that many candles at once. 

Everything was calling for her attention. It was all so overwhelming.

The person who was her father, something new she wanted to understand, was holding her hand and it felt so nice, but somehow so different from when Eugene held her hand. It meant something, but she wasn’t sure what. He and her real mother were looking at her so expectantly, their chairs next to each other after the king had brought his around the little table.

The little table looked filled with food, so little of which she recognized. She wasn’t sure what was safe to eat. She was so glad they had hazelnut soup, it felt almost like a birthday. She had been so hungry. 

She’s been with her parents for hours now, but didn’t know something very important about them, something she needed now. Something she realized she never knew about Mother. She had lived her whole life with Mother and never even knew she had a name beyond Mother. She had never really known Mother at all. Somehow that hurt and shamed her. 

Rapunzel bit her lip and asked quietly, “May I know your names, please?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” spoke up the Queen, “with all the excitement we forgot to tell you. My name is Rebecca.”

“And mine is Leonard,” finished the King with a smile. 

They waited expectantly.

“Please, isn’t anyone going to ask me ...my name?” asked Rapunzel in a small voice. They did want to know who she was, didn’t they? Her lip began to quiver and eyes fill.

“But…,” began Queen Rebecca looking startled. 

The hand of King Leonard on Queen Rebecca’s knee stopped her. “It’s okay, we are not all that surprised that the kidnapper would not have kept the name we gave you.”

He looked very deeply and gently into his daughter’s great green tear-filled eyes and gently asked, “What is _your_ name?”

Rapunzel looked back and forth between her parents. She didn’t know how to feel, she had another name, a different name. What did that mean? Was she someone else? How could she be someone else, she had only ever been herself. It was so complicated already, how much worse could it get? Rubbing her bloodshot eyes with the heel of her hand she said, “I’m sorry, my name is Rapunzel.”

The King and Queen leaned forward and gave Rapunzel a big hug. 

“You have no reason to be sorry, we are the ones that forgot the niceties here,” said Rebecca as Rapunzel sobbed a couple of small sobs into the shoulder of the person who gave her life.

After a few deep breathes, Rapunzel calmed down again. “Um, I’m not sure where to begin, I don’t think you want to hear about eighteen years worth of chores or painting murals.”

“The lanterns,” Eugene prompted her with her former dream, with a squeeze of his arm around her shoulders. That was the one connection this family shared and they should start there. Then he filched a cucumber sandwich from the table. Things seemed to calming down, the king didn’t seem like he was going to throw him in the prison nor kill him immediately and now he was starving.

Rapunzel brightened. “Oh, yes, of course, the lanterns, they’re what started this. You see, every year on my birthday, I would look out my window and I would see these floating lights; they weren’t stars and they only came on my birthday. I always had to sneak down to my window to see them, but for some reason I could feel that they were something special, that they were meant for me.” Rapunzel’s hand gestured to her breast.

Leonard and Rebecca squeezed each other’s hands and shared a look. 

“This year I finally screwed up enough courage to ask Mother, if we could leave the tower and see the lights. But she said they are just the stars and convinced me that I wasn’t strong enough to go outside.” Rapunzel looked down, she felt like she had let these persons, her parents, down for not trying earlier. 

“Mother left to get some parsnips to surprise me with hazelnut soup for my birthday. So I was moping around the tower when I heard clanging sounds Outside. I looked out the window and there was a person climbing my tower. I was so scared. I grabbed the frying pan and hid until he got inside and then hit him with it, twice.” 

Rapunzel shot an apologetic look at Eugene, who rubbed the back of his head with a rueful smile, then he popped a paté cracker in his mouth. “I didn’t know what to do with a person, so I stuffed him in my closet. I also found the crown in his satchel. Then I thought to surprise Mother with him to show her that I was strong enough to go Outside after all. But before I could, Mother said I was to never ask to leave the tower again.” 

Rapunzel dropped her face into her hands. “So-so I lied to her. I told her I wanted paints instead, that needed ingredients from far away. Far enough so that I could see the lights and get back without her knowing. I’m sorry.” 

She tried so hard to be a good person, lying was wrong, but she just had had to see the lights, it might have been her only chance to see them. Eugene hugged her and the king and queen squeezed her knees, trying to encourage her. 

After a deep breathe she continued the story. “I made a plan to see the lights, I would use him as a guide. He had found the tower and lived Outside and so he could help keep me safe. To make sure he would bring me back, I hid his satchel that had the crown in it. So I tied him to my chair with my hair and made a deal with him. He’d get the crown back after he took me to see the lanterns and brought me safely back home. He agreed.” Rapunzel smiled at Eugene.

Eugene smiled back, but said nothing, nabbing a bit of cheese.

“Leaving the tower made me feel all strange, sometimes I was excited and sometimes sad, and everything was so new, but I kept going, I had to see the lanterns. We stopped for lunch at the Snuggly Duckling and they tried to take Eugene, but then I found out the dreams of all the ruffians and thugs there. When the guards came, the thugs let us out through a secret passage, but then the guards found us and were chasing us. But more ruffians blocked our way. I used my hair to swing to safety, while Eugene lost his sword fight with Maximus.”

The King and Queen shared a glance and then looked at Eugene.

“Believe me, that is a great story all by itself, but later,” quipped Flynn with an offhand wave of his hand, popping some grapes into his mouth.

“I grabbed him with my hair and swung him to safety over the Stabbington brothers. But they were still chasing us. Maximus knocked over a support beam to get to me. Eugene still had the end of my hair. He called to me to jump.” 

She turned Eugene. “I had to decide then if I trusted you, really trusted you. Mother had used my hair against me many times, that very morning too, actually. You had my hair, my very life in your hands. You could have let me drop and get hurt and you could have run away and left me.

“I had never let even Mother have that kind of trust. But I looked deep inside my heart and knew I could trust you. Then there was no time, I had to take a running leap to get away. I never trusted anyone like that before,” she gave Eugene a crushing hug. 

Eugene’s face looked stricken, even as Flynn Rider he had never even thought to drop her. He had not known just what that leap of faith had meant to her. 

The wide-eyed look on his face told her parents he just got surprised by that bit of information. They shared a quick, but approving, look as he put his arms tenderly around her.

“Then we were running from the guards and the Stabbington brothers, but then the dam broke and we were all just running for our lives. I could hear their screams as the water took them. I was running as fast as I could, Eugene right behind me, Pascal bouncing on my shoulder. We passed a tall rock outcropping, I knew enough from my books to know that the limestone would never be strong enough to withstand the water, but I could see a cave.

“I could hear the rock snap, we ran faster. I was carrying most of my hair and Eugene the rest, but the shadow was overtaking us, I could hear it coming toward us. It was so loud, but we were only steps away from the cave. I thought we would be crushed just as we got inside. Then the water came, louder then the worst thunderstorm, filling the cave. Eugene tried to find a way out, but there wasn’t one. I was hitting the walls with my pan, but it didn’t do anything either. And then... then we gave up,” she said with a shrug, her head tilted, looking down.

Rebecca squeezed her knees and Leonard held her hand tightly.

“We just sat there in the dark as the cold water swirled around us. I was so sorry that I had dragged Eugene into all this. I knew the outside world was dangerous, but I hadn’t imagined that even the ground and water would be trying to kill us. I thought that having a guide would keep bad things from happening, but there we were, dying.” Rapunzel sat there listlessly, remembering how hopeless that time had been. 

“Then Flynn Rider told me that his real name was Eugene Fitzherbert. I was so touched that he would share that secret of his with me, so I decided to share my own secret with him; that my hair glows when I sing. Then I realized that there was still hope, I started singing the incantation just as the water closed in over our heads, but I finished it in my head hoping it was enough. And it worked, we had light and my hair was being sucked into some rocks showing us the way out.” Rapunzel sat forward becoming more animated.

“We dug our way to freedom. We ended up on the bank of the river. Eugene was freaking out over my glowing hair, but it did more then that. He had cut his hand in the cave, so after we built a fire to get dry, I wrapped my hair around his hand and healed his hand. He then told me about little orphan Eugene Fitzherbert, who sounded like a such a good boy. Then he went to get some firewood so we could stay warm.” Rapunzel gave Eugene a sweet smile.


	22. Rapunzel Finishes Her Story

The King and Queen were enraptured by the story. The soup, bread, meats and jams on the table were forgotten; the guards faded into the background as the candles began to burn down. The maid refilled the goblets.

It was so much to take in and it had only covered a few hours of their daughter’s life. She had shown amazing strength, goodness and bravery. 

“Then Mother found me. She wanted to take me back, but I had done so much and met such wonderful people. I didn’t want to go back yet. I still wanted to see the lanterns most of all. But Mother said he was just doing this for the crown, which she somehow had and gave to me, to test him, give it to him and see how fast he would leave. I didn’t do that then, I was too scared.” Rapunzel gave Eugene a shy look.

“The next morning Maximus found us and tried to take Eugene away. But I persuaded him to let him be my guide just for my birthday and then they could chase each other all they wanted. We had camped really close to the city, I could see the top of the palace over the trees and it was so exciting, people and food and art and dancing. The dancing was so fun, even though it seemed like everyone was trying to keep Eugene and I apart. Then it was time for the lanterns.

“Eugene rented a boat and I was so scared. I had been watching the lanterns from my window for so long, it was my greatest dream to see them and now it was time. And then they lit up the sky, it was so amazing, like being surrounded by thousands of fireflies. It was more wonderful then I had ever dreamt. And then Eugene pulled out some lanterns for us so we could signal the Lost Princess too. And I gave him the satchel, because I wasn’t scared anymore, I liked him and I was sure he liked me.” Rapunzel glanced shyly at Eugene.

“We almost kissed, but then he rowed to shore and took the crown and left me. I was so worried that he wasn’t coming back, then the Stabbington brothers came back instead and they knew about my hair and they tried to put me in a sack, but Mother saved me. I went with her, because I thought Eugene had betrayed me. I know better now, but I was crushed, I believed Mother that the world was terrible place. So we went back to the tower last night.”

The Kings face had gotten quite grim at this point, but Rapunzel continued, as the Seneschal and the Lock Guard Captain came in. The maid began replacing candles as they burned low.

“I had accomplished my dream, I had seen the floating lights but the cost; the cost had been so terribly high. I had saved one little thing from Mother, a small sigil banner,” that she pulled out and showed to everyone, “that Eugene gave me, I took it out and looked at it after she left me alone in my room.” 

“Suddenly I was seeing these suns all over my room, in all the paintings I had made. I then had a memory or vision, I saw the sun image floating above me in the air with animals hanging off of it. Then I saw you two but younger, and the mosaic in the Square of the Lost Princess and then me with the crown on my head and I knew, I knew with every fiber of my being that _I_ was the Lost Princess.” 

They could see in her eyes the sure knowledge she had about who she really was. She was sitting on the edge of her seat every inch a princess, even with the dirty feet and bruised arms.

“That knowing was so powerful that it knocked me off my feet, I could hardly breathe, everything was changing, nothing was the same anymore. I confronted Mother, she had taken me and used me. She told me she had arranged for Eugene to be hanged, so I had nowhere else to go. I told her that she could never use my hair again and she attacked me as I was trying to leave. I shouldn’t have turned my back on her, but I still thought that Mother wouldn’t hurt me. She knocked me out, chained me and was going to take me away somewhere else. I was fighting her, I would never go with her.

“Then Eugene came and Mother stabbed him. It was like a knife to my own belly, but I knew I could save him if only Mother would allow it. She was trying to drag me away, the chains were pulling my arms from my shoulders but I had to save Eugene. I got the gag off and bargained with her, my hair and my freedom for his life. Everything would go back to the way it was, I would never even try to escape if she would just let me heal him. He was my new dream, the dream to sustain me after the lanterns, he had to live.”

Rapunzel laid a hand on his cheek. Eugene took her hand and kissed it. Leonard and Rebecca looked at each other. They knew love when they saw it, which made this even more complicated. Rapunzel turned back to her parents.

“Mother took the deal. But before I could heal him, he-he cut my hair. Mother died and then so did he, even Pascal was hurt trying to save me and there was nothing I could do about any of it. I finished singing the healing incantation over his body because it had always helped before, but it just made the pain worse since nothing happened,” the look on her face was beyond sad, and filled with pain. She had lost almost everyone in her life, and her special gift was gone. The only one left was Pascal, who nuzzled her hand sleepily, as she stroked the injured chameleon.

“I was crying over his body and then something happened, lights appeared and he was healed and alive again. I was so happy. Then we had to help Maximus because he had over-exerted himself getting Eugene to my tower, but my tears didn’t work on him and we all walked slowly here. We got captured by guards chasing Flynn Rider, they brought us here and I passed the test, and met you.” She looked shyly at her parents.

* * *

Waiting to meet her parents on the balcony had been so scary.

Eugene’s hand in hers helped, but she was still shaking when they heard the door open behind them.

One person was large and had hair on his face: the King. He was standing there at the top of the steps.

The other, the Queen, had eyes just like hers. She came gracefully, slowly down the steps. Rapunzel’s heart was drawn to this person. A few slow, unconscious steps, drifting toward her. 

She had passed the test, but would this person accept her. She hadn’t always been a good girl, but she had tried so hard with someone else. 

Her mind refused to use the word that she had always used for her captor for this person, but the feelings were so much same and very strong and real.

She wanted to cup that hand to her cheek; why couldn’t she move right anymore? She could just stare into those eyes; those huge, green eyes that looked so much like hers. Why did those eyes hold such fear, she knew fear far too well not to recognize it in others.

_“Why did this person hesitate? Was something wrong with me?”_ thought Rapunzel.

A wonderful tingle as they finally touch, and letting out a breathe they didn’t know they were holding, they had embraced and it was wonderful and joyful. Sandwiched between the king and queen. 

_“Could it be any better?”_ Then she felt Eugene in it too. _“Yes, it could.”_ Remembered Rapunzel.

* * *

The King and Queen went over and hugged their daughter again. The queen dragged Eugene in again.

“Oh, my daughter, my beloved daughter, you are so strong and so good, it is an honor to have you as our daughter,” said the King, as the tears flowed down the Queen’s smiling face. 

The Seneschal came up to the royal family with a bemused expression on his face.


	23. The Lock Captain’s Plan

The Lock Captain pulled out the Worst-Case Scenario from the locked secret files. 

He had finished cleaning up after the Princess’s Birthday “celebration” of the day before. The anniversary was so hard, it reminded him of his worst failure; he had failed to protect the Princess the day she was kidnapped. 

It didn’t really matter to Captain Vince Taygon that they had been just been created the day she was born, nor did it matter that he had been in this very office compiling a list of names of possible guard candidates at the time. Sitting, as he was, at the very same desk.

He should have been there!

The failure still stung after all these years. He and the rest of the Lock Guard were determined not to let that happen again, if they ever had another chance to protect the princess.

He settled his two white criss-crossed sashes and put his red fez on his desk. Now it was time to start updating the contingency files. They had studied hard and had made so many plans; so the changes were often small. This one was not so simple. This was Plan ZZZ: The Unthinkable Plan. It contained the very worst possibilities that the 28 of them and their wives could imagine.

This did not even include the list of possible scenarios they could do nothing about.

He’d also be updating the Best Case Scenario file. He was saving that for last. That supposed that the princess somehow escaped as a child and was found and raised by good and loving people. She would grow up ignorant of who she was, but would still be a good person. It wasn’t terribly likely but it wasn’t impossible, the list of the impossible scenarios was getting extended again too. There were a great number of other very unlikely scenarios from being found in a harem to a circus that he would be updating over then next week or so.

The one he wasn’t looking forward to at all was Most Likely Scenario. It assumed she was still alive, which was assuming a lot all by itself. From what they found studying kidnappings, the princess would be abused. The worst cases had found children locked in small rooms and barely fed and interacted with. There was a significant chance the princess could return feral. 

Sighing, he flipped open the Worst Case file, which was somehow even worse then that. 

Having an evil princess return would be bad, one bent on world conquest would be worse, one that was Maleficent’s secret apprentice was worst. But somehow they keep finding a new way to make it worse. It was why it was so important that they determine the goodness of the princess as quickly as possible. The thought of what he would have to do to stop her, chilled him every time. It was the exact opposite of everything he trained his whole life for.

He flipped open his notebook and began to search through it for the things they had come up with in the last year that made it even worse.

The door crashed open. 

“Captain Taygon, sir! She’s back, sir!” Mark panted. The Lock Guard had had to run to his captain’s office after telling the King and Queen that their daughter had returned. They had almost bowled him over once they understood.

“What? Who’s back?” barked Captain Taygon, his mind still on Maleficent. He had come to a crouch and partially drawn a weapon.

“The Lost Princess! She passed the Test, she has returned! She’s meeting with her parents now on the plaza balcony,” exulted Mark.

Emotions beyond hope and joy welled up in his soul. He quickly put them in check, his primary duty was to make sure the Lost Princess would never be Lost again. “Who is protecting her right now?”

“Only James and Margaret, sir. I told the King and Queen that she is back and that they are to meet her at the plaza balcony.” The Captain knew that James, one of their best swordsmen, was on Lock Duty at the moment. He would be divided in wanting to protect the princess and the Lock that the queen usually held, but the Seneschal would have borrowed it from the Queen for the Test. Margaret was a Lock Maid, Mark’s wife too, and she would be primarily on the princess, but as a chambermaid she wouldn’t be seen as a threat by attackers, that was the idea, but right now overtness would be the better choice.

“We need to improve that, immediately. Follow me.” They strode down the hall to the small training room. 

There were six men in the wide room; juggling their throwing swords, passing them between themselves. It was a very challenging exercise, but provided excellent training in hand-eye coordination. It took them a few moments to capture their swords, make them disappear under their uniforms and come to attention. 

“Men our time has come, the Lost Princess has returned.” Announced Captain Taygon.

It took a long moment for the words to sink in. 

“Sir, orders, sir!” They practically cheered in unison.

“She is to be protected at all costs. Sergeant Gabriel take position on the inside of the plaza balcony. The rest of you form a perimeter outside, be overt. Mark will brief me on what he has learned and then I will send him for reinforcements. She will not be Lost to us again. For the Princess and Corona!” The Lock Captain finished with their battle-cry.

“For the Princess and Corona.” The men cheered. Quickly and silently they moved out of the training room like a pack of panthers.

“Mark, with me.”

They moved back to the Captain’s office. “Tell me what you know about the princess.” Mark had been standing watch in the Test Chamber because that was a place that the Princess would be taken when she arrived. It also afforded the best place to learn what kind of person the Lost Princess had become, it was convenient that the Seneschal liked to hear the stories the candidates told him. This way they got a jump of what plan they would need to begin implementing.

“Yes, sir. She is a good person. She learned she was the Lost Princess this morning. She had been kept in a hidden tower in the forest about half a days walk from the city, near the Snuggly Duckling. She has a pet chameleon, and can communicate with him. She had magic hair that made the kidnapper young and had healing powers, but she had lost that magic power when it was cut by Flynn Rider. She was brought back by Flynn Rider, who is now called Eugene Fitzherbert, and Maximus the palace horse.

“The criminals at the Snuggly Duckling helped them escape from the palace guards. She was almost kidnapped by the Stabbington brothers, who are currently in custody. She tried to give her life and freedom to save Flynn Rider, but he prevented it by cutting off her magic hair, which killed him and the kidnapper.

“She used magic tears to save Flynn Rider but that has apparently drained her magic. It appears that they are very much in love with each other. She has been awake for the past two days and has traveled much in the last three. They only have the clothes on their backs. She looks very much like the Queen, slightly smaller though. She has short brown hair and an elaborately embroidered lavender dress. She likes hazelnut soup.” Finished Mark.

Captain Taygon was taking notes at high speed. “Right, thank you for that summary. Go to the barracks and alert the troops. We’ll need third, fifth and... twelfth and fourteenth squads and tell the twelfth to bring their sewing and tell them of her physical attributes. Have the rest begin a sleep cycle; it may be a long night.”

The first, second, third and fifth were the Lock Guard, and they would be enough to provide coverage for the Princess, the Lock and the criminal. The eleventh, twelfth and fourteenth were the Lock Maids, actually they were the wives of the Lock Guard, they moved around the palace as chambermaids but their husbands had trained them to be effective protectors of the Princess. 

Assassins and kidnappers would tend to try kill the Palace Guard and Lock Guard first which would give the women time get the Princess to safety, but for the most part they would just see to her needs.

Mark moved silently out of the room and away. The barracks were actually a small neighborhood of houses near the castle the Lock Guard had bought. It had taken a long time on their meager budget, but it had made a huge difference.

Lock Captain Taygon looked down at the file he had been working on. When your duty is to prepare for any eventuality, it quickly led to places you’d rather not think about. While their duty was to protect the Princess, there were cases that a greater duty to humanity overrode even that. This was not the case today. He gratefully closed it and returned it to its proper place in the secret files. Never to be updated again. 

Moving past the plans in case the Princess was found dead, he had been leafing through those a few days ago, wondering how to bring up the succession to the king.

He came to those where she returned and was good, she had simple magical powers like animal friendship and communication. Most princesses and queens, even the occasional regular girl seemed to have that, so that wasn’t a surprise.

The kidnapper is dead, praise be for that, it made his job tremendously easier. He had barely enough people to provide round the clock coverage of the Lock and the Princess, with a criminal rescuer, even with the women. 

That had been a god-sent idea. The entire Lock guard had married and trained their wives and gotten them jobs as chambermaids and the like within the castle. It nearly doubled their official numbers. Though several had to stay home to rear the children, they did it in shifts to maintain strong family bonds. He had pulled off the arrangement with the Headwoman who was sympathetic to his cause.

He pulled the Q files for the Princess Returns Alive. 

Since the kidnapper was dead, he thankfully passed those files by.

He also pulled the T files: Returned By Criminal and then removed variation 3: Mutual Love. 

A criminal rescuer with mutual love, the Lock Captain shook his head, his wife was going to be so smug about that. He did not mind the results of the bet, but payment of that would have to wait until things settled down and they could get away for a couple of weeks. He was wondering if his evasion skills were up to the task, she had taken the advanced tracking class last year.

He smiled. Mutual love was probably the best result, better then the Princess just loving him, or the criminal just loving her, those tended to end messily. 

They had spent all these years coming up with different scenarios. No matter how carefully they had thought through these plans, the Universe always had a way to throw a variation into the mix. They had learned that long ago. They had investigated many disappearances of others and learned as much as they could, but each time they planned and predicted, something new always came up. So they tried to make the plans as flexible as possible.

The plan recommended a Jubilee. A Jubilee would solve so many issues not just around the princess and her criminal love, but all around the kingdom; it would anger a few, but better a few then many. 

He frowned. The Stabbington brothers were a complication, he would take care of them personally.

He’d run down to the kitchen and tell them of the one food preference they knew for the princess. An interesting choice for a favorite food, common dish due to all the hazelnuts the kingdom produced. It was considered a peasant dish, though there were high-class variations. And to break out the small table they had made for just this occasion.

He’d tell the tenth squad to get the princess’ quarters fully prepared. He had inspected her quarters this morning as he did every day. All that really entailed was putting fresh flowers in the vases, and turning down the covers.

He read their notes on what to do with the beloved criminal rescuer. Ah, yes, the Green bedroom, close to the princess, but with the royal couple between them it should keep the sneaking to a minimum with them and so many guards between them. He wouldn’t trust Flynn Rider enough for the Blue bedroom.

Then there was the rest of the report.

But first he was going to call the Privy Council together. They had a job to do.

* * *

The Seneschal was coming out of the family dining room and was met by Captain Taygon.

“Ah, good to see you Captain Taygon. I need to speak to you and the rest of the Privy Council, I need to get them working on something.”

“The Lost Princess has returned.” It wasn’t really a question.

“Yes, she has. We’ve got a bit of a problem. Her rescuer is Flynn Rider and they are in love with each other. True Love, too, if I haven’t completely missed the mark,” said the Seneschal with a small smile.

“The Snuggly Duckling gang also helped in returning the princess, that was what the ruckus in the prison this morning was about. Rider has even asked for justice to be brought against him and the princess has asked for mercy on his and their behalf. The king doesn’t want to hurt them or the kingdom and has asked that the Privy Council come up with a solution to all that. He feels a little distracted at the moment.” The Seneschal finished.

“Yes, sir. I’m sure he is. The Privy Council is convening, they will like assurances that this is true and what they should do. I have a plan that will take care of this situation,” said Captain Taygon seriously.

“You do?” Mortimer was completely surprised by Flynn Rider coming back with the princess after stealing the crown, with the help of the Snuggly Duckling gang no less. He wasn’t even sure where to begin to unravel it all, while keeping the kingdom intact.

“Yes, the king should institute a Jubilee.”

“A Jubilee?” Mortimer said slowly, trying to remember what that meant, and old memory from Sunday School floated up. “Oh. A jubilee, what an amazing idea. Yes, that will do wonders and not just for the criminals,” the Seneschal looked impressed with the Lock Captain.

“Yes, sir I know. I also suggest you seal the harbor, double the guard at the bridge, and the entrances to the castle and ring the castle with four extra roaming squads, on rotation. The Navy should also deploy around the island,” said the protector of the princess, wanting things to start moving into place.

“What? Why? Are you expecting an invasion?” asked the Seneschal with surprise.

Captain Taygon gave a tight smile. “No, this is a show of force for the Princess’ benefit. She needs to know that she will be safe here. She needs to know that the troops care about her and will protect her. It will be several days before she will have a chance to review the troops, but the troops need to do something too, so they will stay sober.”

“Of-of course. That’s a really good idea.” The Seneschal sounded surprised.

“Yes, sir. I know. First, let us talk to the Privy council and get them moving. Sir?” The Lock Captain gestured him to go first down the wide, cream-colored corridor.

The Seneschal was wondering what had come over the Lock Captain. He had always liked the Lock Captain. He was thoroughly professional, listened carefully and gave sound advice in council. He was a good man. His seriousness made him a good foil to the Captain of the Palace Guard, who was rather fiery and tended toward impulsiveness. 

Actually, the Lock Guard was a misnomer, they had been organized to be the bodyguard of the princess, a subset of the royal bodyguard. They were really called the Princess Guard but after she had been kidnapped and the official search called off; they had been given the responsibility to guard the Lock of Hair they had found in the cradle of the princess. It had become the Most Precious Treasure of the kingdom. But they had never stopped searching, in small secret teams, for their princess.

Vince Taygon had risen to become the Captain of the Royal Bodyguard, but somewhere along the line the name Lock Guard had come up and stuck.

The Lock Captain had suggested keeping the Crown of the Lost Princess on display in the throne room and had even suggested that the palace guard keep the guard so they could display their love for the princess in that duty. Which left him more men for finding the Princess and preparing for her return. Giving them the job of guarding the Lock had helped, and they had all descended into a determined professionalism. They were all very serious, they obeyed their orders very thoroughly and often gave useful suggestions to do it better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's rather funny but Tangled is pretty close to the Best Case Scenario.  
> If you want to see what the Most Likely Scenario looks like, you can read Feral Rapunzel's First Christmas.


	24. The Privy Council Learns of the Princess

The Privy Council met, as they typically did, in the Map Room. Leaders all loved maps, it gave them the idea that things were organized, if you knew where everything was. 

Already sitting in their ornate chairs, decorated in the sun symbols of this naval power, were the Captain of the Palace Guard, whose head was bandaged and was looking decidedly grumpy, had dragged himself out of the infirmary to come to this meeting, the Admiral of the Navy and the Commander of the Merchant Marine, and the Captain of the Army. 

There were also some of the civilian leadership; the Palace Headwoman, a tall, thin, women with a hooked nose and streaky grey hair, who ran the palace as the Seneschal did the rest of the kingdom, both of which had extensive intelligence networks. And the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he was a thin, gray haired man who spent a lot of time near the vaults, and had strong contacts with his counterparts in the governments of most countries they’ve had contact with. There were empty chairs for those who hadn’t made it yet.

They looked up expectantly, the Lock Captain had never called an emergency meeting before and they were very curious as to why; the obvious reason was too frighteningly wonderful to admit to themselves, so many rumors had ended up as dashed hopes. They keep their eyes on him as he seated himself at the table.

The Seneschal stood next to the empty King’s seat and announced, “The Lost Princess has returned.” 

It took a couple of seconds and then they all stood up and cheered, waving their hats in the air and the Headwoman put her head on the table and began to cry. She had heard the rumors, seeing Captain Taygon in the kitchen and sending the Lock Maids scurrying had made her knees weak; but she hadn’t dared let hope flourish again, it had been crushed far too often. She had had to find a quiet place to calm herself.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer just sat there with his mouth open, how could anyone pass that impossible test?

Waiting a few beats the Lock Captain interrupted. “We have waited for eighteen years for her return and it is our determination that she be protected. The King is going to be distracted with the return of his daughter for about a week, we are going to make sure that the kingdom is safe and secure, so he can enjoy this time as much as possible.

“I’d like to make a few suggestions. Captain Forrester, deploy four squads to roaming patrols around the castle, double the guard at the bridge have the rest of your men get a good nights sleep; they’ll be needed for security after the announcement tomorrow. It will be pandemonium, and they need your leadership. Admiral, your navy is needed to encircle the island. Commander you will secure the harbor. No one enters or leaves without being inspected. Captain secure the border. We must ensure that the Princess is never Lost again!” 

Turning to the civilian leadership, “Thank you for coming on such short notice. The Test worked. Thank you for all the work you have put in to finding a way to determine the truth of the Lost Princess. Good job. Things are going to be a little chaotic for the next week, so try to stay flexible and not bother the king with little details. Please, try to get as much rest as you can.”

“The primary thing is the recommendation that the king should institute a jubilee to deal with the rescuers.” Captain Taygon quickly outlined what would happen and how it might affect the kingdom. The members of the Privy Council looked at each other. Every time the Chancellor of the Exchequer looked ready to interrupt with an objection, the next sentence dealt with it. Soon they were all nodding in agreement.

To the Headwoman he said, “We don’t know what she likes in the way of food, beyond hazelnut soup. You’ll want to alert the kitchen to be ready to make almost anything on short notice. The princess has lived in a tower, alone with the Kidnapper her whole life so she probably won’t make much in the way of demands. Her chambermaids are ready for her. We are preparing the Green Bedroom for Flynn Rider, it seems that he is very much in love with the princess and the feeling is mutual. That will allow him to be close to the princess, but the royal chambers between them should keep the sneaking to a minimum.”

The Headwoman gave a smirk, nodded.

Turning to the last person, “Chancellor, while I don’t expect the princess to make much in the way of demands, the royal couple will want to do anything to make their daughter happy. I know they set you to keep their great generosity within budgetary bounds, I would suggest you find a way to allow them some extra for this happy occasion. By the way, Flynn Rider is inside the palace so you might want to increase security on the vaults.” Captain Taygon thought the Chancellor was a good restraint on the royal family, who were loving and generous, but the stresses of the kidnapping, often make it hard to think all the way through the consequences of all their actions. However, the Chancellor, tended to be too much of a wet blanket, having him worry about Flynn Rider would allow the Royals more generosity. 

The Chancellor looked concerned and hurried off.

Turning to the Seneschal, Captain Taygon said, “I’ll need a word with the King before he goes to bed, he’ll need to know about what is happening. We also have some recommendations for tomorrow and the next few days. Let’s go.”

The Council broke up quickly as they all had duties to perform.

The Seneschal was very surprised by the Lock Captain. He had never put himself forward like this before. He had essentially taken command of the kingdom with a few words. Not that he was wrong, it was his express duty to protect the princess, but this level of command was something he had never before shown. 

Admittedly, it was obvious that the King was going to be distracted for the next little while and the Seneschal was already thinking of how he would clear the King’s schedule for then next couple of days, but the Lock Captain was sure that it would take a week, which the Seneschal conceded was probably more likely.

They found the royal family talking quietly in the family dining room, chatting intently. The princess was telling how she learned she was the Lost Princess and the desperate deal to save Flynn Rider. They were sitting knee to knee next to a very small table that they could easily sit next to each other, but the Seneschal realized he had never seen it before, though he had been in the room for some time earlier in the evening. 

Turning to the Lock Captain who he saw had a small, pleased smile on his face. Had he arranged even the table? The royal family was hugging again as the princess finished her story.

Then Captain Taygon frowned slightly. Leaning toward the Seneschal, he whispered. “Sir, the princess is looking rather tired, it might be best to have everyone go to bed. Return the Lock to the queen, that should provide enough of a distraction for the princess to yawn.”

The Seneschal, rather bemusedly, moved to the queen as she sat down again and went to one knee to be less of a distraction, “Your Majesty, here is the Lock.”

“Oh, thank you,” said the Queen. The Seneschal could actually feel the attention that was focused on the Lock move off of him and back to the Queen as she looped the necklace over her head. He gave an involuntary shiver.

“Excuse me,” said Eugene to the Seneschal, “But I didn’t understand that whole test thing. One moment you are cutting her hair and then you were crashing to your knees, crying and hugging us.”

The King gave the Seneschal a surprised look, and the Queen gave him a sweet smile and hug. “Oh, you dear man.” 

The Seneschal felt his face turn bright red. “Yes, well. The Test was very simple, when the Princess was taken we found a lock of brown hair in the crib. Since the kidnapper was an old woman and it was obvious that the lock wasn’t gray, it somehow must have come from the princess, though why it had become brown was a mystery.”

“When my hair is cut it turns brown and loses it power. The magic goes away.” Chimed in the princess.

“We thought it might be something like that, but we found that it also was close to the color of the queen’s hair, but there are tiny flecks of gold still in it. We used this to test the false princesses. When they would come they all have golden blonde hair. If it stayed blonde when cut, then we knew they were a false princess. If it was plain brown without the flecks they would be false princesses too. You are brunette and your hair has the same flecks of gold reflected in it in direct sunlight, just like the Lock.”

“Then why all the questions before then?” asked Flynn curious and suspicious.

“Oh, that. Usually I don’t need to ask questions at all. All the false princesses had come with these elaborate stories about where they had come from and how they had found out they were the Lost Princess. I didn’t want them to feel bad after all that work and never tell the story. Besides, it is a good way to judge the character of the princess. The story wouldn’t take all that long and the disappointment could be quite intense. I’ve had to comfort a lot of disappointed false princesses and defend myself from some angry ones, though they also ended up crying. I thought it was a small price to pay to make it easier on them.” 

Turning to look at Rapunzel, he said, “You were different. You didn’t have a prepared story; it was spontaneous and disorderly. I had to cut a lock of your hair to see if it would match though it is obvious that it does. I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Rapunzel ran her hand through her hair, looking around uncertainly. “I-I understand. I spent eighteen years being told that cutting my hair was very bad and wrong and how evil men with pointy teeth would come to cut it and that I was to stay in the tower to protect it and its power. I will have to get used to the fact that it is no longer the case.”

“You’re a good man,” said the King to his Seneschal approvingly.

Rapunzel gave a large yawn that showed her perfect white teeth.

“Oh, dear, you must be so tired, your eyes are looking like holes burned into your skull.” The queen cut in. 

“I am. Mother and I walked home all last night and then we walked back today. I never knew that Outside was so big,” said Rapunzel tiredly, rubbing her very bloodshot eyes.

The king looked at the queen; who was frowning deeply, but she recovered quickly and smiled at her daughter.

The royal family and Eugene got up and moved off to the royal apartments. The Seneschal took them first to the Green Bedroom. Flynn made some remarks about how it looked like he was going to sleep in the forest again, but the blankets looked warm, and he did notice the two Lock Guards that took up position outside his door, and that there were more outside his balcony.

As they walked to the Princess’ quarters, the finally reunited royal family was holding hands. The princess may be young and tired, but she knew she was surrounded by people who loved her.

As they got to the princess’ quarters the Queen said, “You men will have to stay here as we get her ready for bed.” Margaret slipped in as the queen shut the door. 

“Sire, could I have a moment?” Spoke up the Lock Captain.

The King looked at the door for some time before turning. “Nothing to it but to wait, so you might as well. What’s on your mind?” 

“The princess mainly, you and the kingdom as well. The Privy council was happy to know the princess is back. I’ve had them secure the kingdom.”

The King looked surprised, “Are you expecting an attack?”

“No, sire. First, we’ll need the troops to be sober for tomorrow’s announcement to the kingdom. Second, it helps morale by having them do something. If the look on your faces during dinner was any indication the queen and yourself will be in a blissed-out haze for at least a week.”

“Ah, yeah. That’s probably true,” said the King remembering dinner, rubbing the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. Then the King frowned slightly, “What announcement tomorrow?” 

“The return of the Lost Princess and her introduction to the populace. That she is in love with Flynn Rider makes things more complex. I have some suggestions that will make things better for the princess and the kingdom.”

He handed the king a folder labeled QT(3). Opening it, the king saw that it was titled Plan Q: Princess Returns Alive; Kidnapper Dead; Rescuer T: Returned By Criminal (sub plan 3) Mutual Love. The Seneschal was sure that the captain had not been carrying that a moment ago.

“You anticipated this?” asked the King in wonder, he was staggered by the story of how his daughter had come home.

“Sire, after the Taking of the Princess you charged us to keep the Lock safe and to prepare for every eventuality of the return of the princess. We failed the Princess once, we do not intent to fail her or you ever again,” he replied with quiet determination.

The King put a hand on his Captain’s shoulder. “I never blamed you. I didn’t give you time to get ready. I only commissioned you that day. You hadn’t even had time to choose any men, before she was taken. I know you’ve never stopped searching, even after I told you to stop. You’re a good man, and you’ve done well under terrible circumstances.”

“Be that as it may, sire. We have a job to do. We have written down some suggestions that we recommend to help you through this period of distraction. You are a father first right now and it is important that you spend significant time with your beloved daughter. We are here to makes sure you get that time and keep the kingdom running.” said the Lock Captain with great dignity.

“Are you married, Captain?” The King was looking at the captain with deepened respect.

“Yes, sire. With three living children so far.”

“You spend time with them.”

“Yes, sire.”

“Good man.”

“Thank you sire. You can read the recommendations after you tuck in your daughter, but please tell the princess that she will be safe here and that there are six guards outside her quarters including outside her balcony. She is safe here.”

“Of course,” the King said with appreciation. Turning to look at his daughter’s door. “I only see two guards.”

“Those are the ones that are supposed to be seen.”

The King gave him a look and opened his mouth, but just then the door opened and the queen invited the king in as the chambermaid came out and stood across from the door.

Before he went in, he asked the Seneschal to have the Captain of the Palace Guard and the Head Woman come meet him after they’d finished tucking in Rapunzel.

The father moved as quietly as he could to his daughter's bed, she looked so beautiful and peaceful, her chameleon on the pillow next to her head. Kneeling next to the bed with his wife, he looked down at his finally returned daughter, as she snuggled under the covers. His heart felt so full, after all these years, he was finally tucking his little girl in bed again. 

“Good night, my dear daughter. You are safe here. Do you need anything?” asked Rebecca

“No, no. I’m okay. I’m so tired. Good night, Mother.” Slurred closed-eyed Rapunzel as she snuggled deeper under the covers and fell immediately asleep and Pascal too. 

Leonard looked at his wife. Her eyes were hard and lips thin and tight in the pale candlelight. Then he saw her look soften as she snugged the blanket around her daughter and smoothed the covers over and over to make it perfect.

The mother and father quietly left the room after snuffing the last candle as their beautiful, brown-haired daughter snored lightly. The mother closed the door, then opened it again to make sure her baby was really still there. The father took his bride’s hand and they walked to their rooms. 

“You know when she says mother she isn’t talking about me,” she told her husband flatly. The queen’s mouth was a hard line and the grip on his hand was tight as they walked to their neighboring apartment.

“Yes, I know, but she is relating to you far easier then to me. It’s like she has no idea how to relate to a father, but from what she has told us so far it shouldn’t be a surprise. We must be kind and loving and understanding, she will call you mother someday, but it may take some time.”

“I know, but it still hurts for some reason, when she calls the kidnapper ‘mother’.” The queen said sadly, her fingers touching the place over her heart.

“I would be astounded if it didn’t, you’re a mother whose baby was stolen and raised by some other woman, whom your daughter calls mother. I’m actually surprised you aren’t more angry.”

“Oh, I am angry,” the mother growls, then her voice softens, “but it keeps getting overwhelmed by the sheer joy I have for her being back.”

“The Lock Captain said he expects us to be in a, what did he call it, a blissed-out haze for at least a week.”

The mother gave a quiet laugh. “He’s a sensible man. He’s so serious, but he’s never steered us wrong.” 

“Yes, we should get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a very big day. We’ll be introducing her to the people.” He looked at the plan in his hand. 

“What’s that?” asked the queen.

“This is the Lock Captain’s plan for if the princess is returned by a criminal and they love each other.”

“They have a plan for that?” the queen asked in amazement.

“Apparently so.”

“So what is the plan?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t read it yet, I just got it; you should read it. I have a few things to do before I can get to it. Please, go to bed dear, I’ll be back in a little while. I’ll have him tell me the highlights on the way. There are some loose ends that need tying up.” His face got a bit grim with these words.

The Queen considered her husband for a moment, “loose ends” tended to mean things she didn’t like hearing about, but as queen thought it was her duty to support her husband. One way she could support him was to let him tell her so they could share the weight of those hard decisions. It had been years since he’s dealt with something like that.

She nodded, kissed her husband, took the file and went into their apartments as the King went with the Seneschal, Lock Captain, Guard Captain, and Head Woman.

“First, Captain Forester, run ahead and get a platoon of men and horses ready at the stable, then meet me at the prison…” she heard the King begin as she closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last time Rapunzel and Eugene got some sleep was when Maximus woke them up. Rapunzel walked home with Gothel and Eugene was too worried in the prison. Except for Eugene’s brief unconsciousness from being hit by the Stabbington brothers they have been awake about 42 hours before finally making it to bed.


	25. The King Checks on Maximus

King Leonard of Corona smiled as they walked into the Palace Stable. The heavy, earthy smells of hay, horse and muck mounted a full assault on his nostrils. 

In the summertime it was enough to make a shark retch, but the King liked it; it smelled like an adventure ready to begin. Most of his had started in a stable, like when he met his bride, and that always lent a certain excitement to coming to the stables. This time the adventure had come to him, and somehow he wasn’t surprised that he still needed to come to the stables.

Looking around in the torchlight, King Leonard realized that he didn’t know in which of the many stalls he would find Maximus. Just then, a groom came out of one the nearby stalls. He looked about to say something harsh about coming to the stables in the middle of the night, when he realized it was his King. 

Swallowing what he was going to say, he stammered out, “H-how may I help you, sire?”

“I have need to see Maximus. He was involved with some rather important matters and I need to make sure that they really happened.”

“Well, sire, he’s the smartest horse in the kingdom and he’ll be able to tell you what you want to know,” said the groom, leading the King and his entourage to the left.

“I hope so.” The king said seriously.

They walk past many stalls all with horses, hay catching on their clothes. They pass the Captain of the Guard who was saddling a reserve horse, as more guards were leading their horses to the courtyard to form ranks. 

“There might be a problem, sire,” the groom began hesitantly as they came to the horse infirmary section of the stables. A few extra-large stalls with deep layers of straw that opened to a small exercise yard padded with soft sand.

“Oh, and what would that be?” asked the King.

“He might not be able to wake up,” he said cautiously.

“Be that as it may, I do have to try. It’s important.” said the King. He looks into Maximus’ stall and sees the great white horse with his head down looking asleep, covered with a heavy grey blanket emblazoned with the Royal sun sigil. “So, how is he?”

“I was told that he had exhausted himself doing a lot of running earlier today. The people who brought him home took as good a care of him as they could, which was good enough, but he is very tired. I’ll be keeping an eye on him all night. He’s been asleep since before I got here. But with some rest, maybe a couple of weeks in a good pasture, he’ll be right as rain.”

“Good. Whatever it takes. He has done the kingdom a great service,” said the King.

Maximus raised his head. He was smart enough to know that someone would come to talk to him, so had tried to sleep lightly.

“Oh, and what’s that, sire?” asked the groom.

The King turned to Max, seeing he was listening. “You brought my daughter home.”

Max nodded.

“Really, the Lost Princess has returned?” asked the groom.

“That she has.”

“Congratulations!” The groom said, clapping his King on the back. “Oh, sorry sire.”

The king smiled and rolled his eyes, then looking at Max the smile faded.

“But you didn’t know where she was, did you?” Max shook his head.

“Flynn Rider knew where the girl was.” Max nodded.

“You needed Flynn Rider.” Max nodded again.

“But Flynn Rider was in the prison,” slowly Max nodded.

“Getting Flynn Rider out of the prison was wrong.” Max lowered his head and nodded.

“You got the thugs to break him out anyway.” His head goes still lower, Max nodded again. 

“You didn’t know she was the Lost Princess. She was just a girl, a girl in trouble. You did all that anyway.” 

Max lifted his head, it had been the good thing to do, and he knew that. He was a good horse, even if people didn’t always understand him. There was a person in trouble and he knew the one person who could help her. It hadn’t mattered that she was the Lost Princess, he hadn’t known. She was a person who was in trouble and he could help her.

Flynn Rider had asked him to show him how fast he could run, Max had never run so fast or so long before and he had held nothing back to try and save the girl. 

Maximus the Palace Horse, mount of the Captain of the Palace Guard, looked into the eyes of the King and nodded.

The King smiled at Maximus. “You did the right thing, no matter the cost to you. You are a very good horse. Thank you for bringing my daughter home.” 

The grateful King held out an apple. Maximus ate the apple and was happy. He did do the right thing. He was a good horse. 

“Sleep now, Maximus. You’ve done well.” The King gave Max a few scratches on the head.

“Now I just have to find a way to promote a horse.” The King said to the groom.

Maximus the palace horse slept the sleep of the victorious hero.


	26. The King Visits the Prison

King Leonard strode into the prison, and the heavy doors creaking loudly in the quiet of the night. He didn’t have to come here very often, but this was something he wanted, no, needed to take care of himself. 

He was so excited to have his daughter home that he wasn’t sure that he could sleep anyway. He felt so different now that she was home. He’d get a few crucial things done now while she slept, so they could have more time together in the morning. 

It was going to be busy and he ached to spend as much time with her as possible. 

Prisons were designed to be hard, brooding places. People could and would do terrible things to each other and while he tried to be fair, just and merciful, some people needed punishment to get the point. A very few couldn’t seem to ever get the point at all. Still they tried to keep it clean and afford them some dignity, but it still smelled like a prison, the smell of bad men, men who didn’t care about themselves or others. It reminded him of the color brown.

He had two things to do here tonight; he looked forward to both of them, but in very different ways.

The King and his entourage stopped in front of HookHand’s cell. HookHand was lying on a thin pallet. He was not asleep. 

# # #

“I didn’t expect to see you down here, sire,” said HookHand, turning his head, but not bothering to get up. He had come to accept the fact he would never leave this place alive. Hopefully some of the others would, Attila should have his shot at his bakery, he was going to miss those cupcakes. At least the blonde girl was safe, he trusted the King to keep his word.

“Well, it does make you easy to find,” said the King with a wry smile. HookHand’s eyes narrowed, did the King just make a joke. Something very strange is going on here.

“I am sorry about rousting you out in the middle of the night for an interrogation.” HookHand looked around; did the king just apologize, what is going on here?

“I’d also like to thank you for your honesty up there. Maximus even corroborated your story. That meant a lot, because something very important was going on. Your involvement was peripheral to what happened and I needed the truth just then.”

“And what was this important thing?” Hookhand was barely wondering what was going on. They had just tried to save a girl.

“The return of my daughter, the Lost Princess.”

HookHand’s eyebrows nearly lifted off the top of his head as he sat up. “What?”

“The blonde girl you met at the Snuggly Duckling and confessed your deepest dreams too. The girl you broke Flynn Rider out of this prison for, on the word of a horse.” The King smiled at that and so did HookHand. “Is my daughter.”

Hope broke over HookHand like a wave. “Really, she’s the Lost Princess?”

“She’s not lost anymore, thanks to your help. I want to thank you for being honest with us up there. Having a girl claiming to be the Lost Princess, in the company of the infamous Flynn Rider, didn’t exactly inspire trust in either of them.”  
HookHand barked a short laugh at that.

“Thank you for helping bring my little girl home.” Leonard said sincerely.

“You’re welcome, sire. Um, can we go home now?” Hookhand tried not to look too hopeful.

The King cocked his head at him. “Of course you can, but it is rather late to start out though.”

“Well.” Hookhand started. It was quite late, but getting out of the prison would be really nice, just in case someone changed their mind.

“There will be a celebration for her return, a real celebration. I don’t think you should miss it. Actually, I think I insist you stay for it.”

“Um.” HookHand had no idea how to acknowledge an invitation like that, most people tried to get rid of him as fast as possible.

“There’ll be a piano.” King Leonard offered.

“We’ll be there,” announced HookHand.

Rapunzel’s father smiled, “Good, tomorrow morning I’ll be making the big announcement. I hope you don’t mind waiting. Here is some extra bedding to make up for the wait.”

The King gestured and a servant came up with folded blankets and a pillow. There were more for the others.

“Oh, and you’ll need this.” King Leonard held out something to HookHand. 

His hook.


	27. The King and the Stabbington Brothers

After making his goodbyes with HookHand; the King and his entourage, including the Lock Captain and the Captain of the Guard--who had just joined them with extra guards--moved deeper into the prison. 

The plan for tomorrow was a good one, but there was one snag. He needed to make sure that his daughter was going to be safe and there were those who needed to be dealt with.

He stopped in front of the sleeping Stabbington Brothers. 

After a breath, he commanded, “Wake them.”

The guards glanced at their king. The tone of his voice was such that none there had ever heard before. His voice was filled with contempt for the brothers in the cell. 

The guards had been wondering what was going on. They were feeling a bit casual after the interview with HookHand. The crossbowmen had thought it odd that the king had ordered broad-head quarrels after they had come to this part of the prison. They had become sober, as the king had ordered strictly them not to kill the brothers, he was about to interview; unless he personally ordered it or if they remained in the kingdom by sundown.

Now, they all descended into seriousness at the command of the king; fingers flexed around weapons.

Two guards grabbed buckets that were convenient and threw the contents on the brothers. With twin oaths the two brothers awoke. An acrid, earthy smell filled the cell and corridor; those convenient buckets had not been filled with water. They flung droplets of liquid and soft solids everywhere as they shook themselves. 

The King waited with arms crossed as they slowly came to realize just who was standing in the torchlight in front of them. Their eyes widened as they did and backed up against the far wall. Having the King himself come to the prison in the middle of the night, however, was not a good sign. Kings wielded power in throne rooms, not prisons, even if there were a load of guards around him. Something was up and secret meetings in the dark of night tended toward trouble in the daylight.

The Stabbington brothers knew they were in trouble. They were known thieves. They had stolen the Crown of the Lost Princess. They could hang for that, unless they could convince the magistrate that they were just dumb muscle and the Flynn Rider was the mastermind. They had used that defense a few times and it had worked well enough to keep them from swinging from the end of a rope.

They were just hoping that no one had noticed the kidnapping attempt on the blonde girl. 

Flynn Rider was dead; they saw the guards drag him away after he demanded to know what they knew about the girl. They had heard a lot of shouting; they knew the guards really had it in for Flynn Rider. They had probably cheered when Flynn Rider finally swung. 

The old lady had wanted the girl too. She had double crossed them and taken the girl for herself. Probably was a long way away now, getting all the money. That magic girl was so ridiculously valuable, if they could have gotten her to The Mustache in Ulm. He was a dealer in magical things. If the story about how much he had paid for a magic wand were even half true, she would make the value of the crown look like dropped pennies on the sidewalk. However, they should be safe from that particular charge, this was not a good kingdom to be caught kidnapping in.

“So, you are two of the people who stole my daughter’s crown,” began the King, sounding rather casual about the whole situation.

They shared a glance.

“And eventually captured by a horse, all by himself.” The King’s tone was almost pitying.

They looked down embarrassed. It would be worse to tell him that an old lady had knocked them both out. How had she done that?

“Well, the crown is back in our possession and finally back in its rightful place.” The King sounded business-like and even had a small smile for the thought of his daughter being back.

The Stabbington brothers relaxed slightly, maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad. Sending the crown back with Rider was a nasty trick. They could claim they did that, they actually had. Honesty worked sometimes. Maybe they could get Flynn’s reward too.

There was a pause. The King lifted his hand and rubbed his fingertips together, not looking directly at the two brothers.

“There is just the little problem of the attempted kidnapping you boys tried to pull off.” The King said in an offhand way still appearing to look at his fingers.

Their eyes widened at that not-so-little bombshell. 

The King wasn’t a vicious man except on this one subject and he savored the look on their faces.

“It is unfortunate that there are two testimonies against you. It surely is doubly unfortunate that the girl you tried to kidnap was the Lost Princess and it is unfortunate beyond words that you were accomplices to the Kidnapper of the Lost Princess,” the King stated in a voice as flat as a steel blade.

The temperature of the prison dropped noticeably as the guards went from serious to grim. Bad enough that these two had made their good king cry by stealing his daughter’s crown. They had tried to steal his daughter herself, too!

Oh, did the looks on the brother’s faces begin to feed that dark corner of the King’s soul that he had set aside for dealing with the Kidnapper, as he paused and let them realize just who that old lady had been.

“I could have you killed immediately.” He raised a hand, fingers outstretched and the guards responded by raising their weapons. The Stabbington brothers could easily see the broad-head quarrels, the ones used to rip open prey in the forest, the blood grooves gleaming red in the firelight. The eyes of the archers were cold and dark.

The guards had Mark IV double recurve crossbows, the most powerful man-portable crossbows in the world. The skin on their chests began to creep, wanting to be somewhere, anywhere, other then where those were pointed, at this close a range the brothers would be pinned to the rock wall they were pressing themselves up against and left standing.

“But that wouldn’t be in the proper spirit of this occasion.” The king said almost kindly, curled his fingers in and brought his hand close to his body, canceling the order to fire. 

The guards did not lower their weapons.

“You probably don’t know this, few people do, but I have spent considerable time considering what I would do to the Kidnapper, should she ever fall into our hands. Though I doubt you’d be surprised about that. What you might find surprising is just how quickly you run out of ways to torture someone.” The King sounded almost disappointed.

“I requested information on torture from every country I could. Being a sea power with lots of trade, there are a lot of countries we come in contact with. When they found out why I was asking, they were very accommodating. People are very interested in helping the father of a kidnapped child deal justice to the kidnapper.” He said in a thankful sounding way.

“As thieves you probably don’t understand how creative people can get at inflicting pain. Now, I’ll admit, I was disgusted by many of them, one even made me throw up the first time I read it. I put it aside as the Kidnapper was a woman and not a man.” The king gave them a rather direct look.

Lance and Dirk were looking like they were going to throw up themselves now.

“Now, admittedly, you didn’t know that she was the Lost Princess, at the time neither did she, actually. So I have no real cause to take the eighteen years of pain her kidnapping has inflicted upon my wife and I, out on you.” The King tried to sound reasonable.

The Stabbington brothers knew they were in deep trouble, but maybe there was a little bit of hope. They looked up at the King.

“My daughter was locked away for 18 years as a slave to the Kidnapper. To honor her escape we are going to release all the prisoners in the morning. Even you.” It was a statement of fact.

They tried a tentative smile. 

“However, I cannot abide kidnappers, especially anyone associated with the Kidnapper.” The flatness had returned.

Their smiles faded.

“You should be executed. However, I am not sure we would get that far. Once your charges are read out, I am pretty sure the crowd would turn quite ugly and tear you to shreds with their bare hands. You would be killed before you could be properly executed. I would not mar my daughter’s homecoming celebration with something so ugly.” The king said it almost gently.

They were getting that sick feeling again. It sounded like the King was looking for a way out, and the easy way out was way too obvious.

The King gestured to the guards, whose hands flexed around their weapons.

“I could have them kill you now, just to be merciful, but that would not be in the proper spirit of my daughter’s return. She had a chance at freedom and took it. You are going to get the same chance. You are going to leave this kingdom and never return.” It was a statement of fact.

The King smiled. “To make sure of that, I have something for you,” beginning to sound jolly.

He pulled out a wanted poster and let it fall to the ground in front of their cell, in clear view in the torchlight.

Instead of wanted dead or alive, it merely stated Wanted: Heads with a flattering drawing of themselves.   
Then they saw the reward.   
Their jaws dropped open. 

The King continued in a jolly tone, that dark corner drinking in their pain. “Oh yes, you do get the honor of the second-largest reward ever offered by this kingdom. It's even higher then Flynn Rider’s. Only the Kidnapper of the Lost Princess has ever had a larger reward put on her head. You can brag about that all you want, though I don’t think you’d like the type of friends that kind of talk would attract.”

Far off bells chimed the hour.

“Oh dear, time is certainly flying, so I’d better explain. I’ve even arranged for food and water.” The King continued in a light tone. A soldier puts packs with a few rations of food and water in front of the cell. “These posters will be circulated starting at sundown. I do want you to have a fair chance to get out of the kingdom before then.”

They looked at each other. 

“Oh, I know, you must be thinking that it’s too far to make the border of the kingdom in that time. Well, I’ll have you know that I have it on the very best authority, that if you take the Rosemary Road, and run the whole way, you have a very good chance of being outside the kingdoms’ boundaries, before the sun stops touching you. And to make sure that you don’t get sidetracked by anything, there will be a platoon of cavalry to make sure that you keep up the right pace.” 

The Stabbington brothers look at the Captain of the Palace Guard whose smile is a little on the feral side, the torchlight making his gold-leaf covered iron-breastplate look the color of blood. The other guards were looking grimly serious in their iron breastplates. Sure, the brothers could take a few guards in a fight, but not with crossbows pointed right at them and they all look very determined. There were an awful lots of guards, it seemed like.

”Oh, don’t worry, they have strict orders not to kill you until the sun goes down or if you leave the kingdom before then.” The King found the Captain of the Guard to be a bit of a hothead sometimes, but he was perfect for this particular job.

The King opened the door and kept on the jolly tone, “Go on boys, times a-wasting. Make Phidippides proud.”

The Stabbington brothers picked up the rations and started jogging down the corridor with most of the guards.

“Oh, boys, you might want to pick up the pace, I said a run.” The King’s voice got very hard at that last word.

They looked back, then to each other and started moving faster.

The Captain of the Lock Guard looked to his King. “That was very well done, sire. They will not be a threat.” He was truly impressed. He had intended to come down and deal with the brothers himself, but this worked out even better then he had hoped. The King having his daughter back had put the fire back in the belly of his King. This was a good thing. Granting freedom to all for the Jubilee was a risk, many of those in prison would likely return to crime. The King had walked a fine line, letting the brother’s go early like this, it was merciful but he had also deftly wielded justice to make sure they would not be a threat again.

The King let out a breath, “No, I doubt they will.” 

They and the remaining guards walked leisurely back to the palace. Leonard was trying to clear his mind so he could sleep more quickly. 

They paused for a moment as they cross out of the prison and to the palace, where they saw two small figures crossing the bridge followed by many mounted men.

Something occurred to Lock Captain Taygon. “Sire, you told them to make Phidippides proud? Wasn’t he the runner who died after delivering the message that the Greek Army had won at Marathon?”

“Why yes, I believe he did.”


	28. An Amazing Day

The King and Queen were finally lying in the royal bed together and the King was thinking about what an amazing day it had been. 

Their daughter, his little girl, was finally home and sleeping like an angel, just beyond the wall, he had checked when he got back from the prison. He could barely believe it. He could still somehow see the squirming little baby the kidnapper had taken in her face.

This morning had been the worst morning ever. He had given up hope yesterday of his daughter ever coming home. He had gone out to launch the lantern, but there was no hope left within him. He was just going through the motions, for his wife’s sake.

Half of her memory had been stolen, the Crown of the Lost Princess, just the day before. The pain of that had just fed the fire of his hate toward the Kidnapper, but it had left him with nothing, not even anger toward the guards.

He had only waved them off as he stood before the empty pedestal, the Captain had sworn to do everything they could to bring it back, but it wouldn’t matter. He was failing, his kingdom was failing. It was time to find his kingdom a new king, a better king then himself.

Just getting out of bed this morning had been a monumental effort. He had gone through the day as a zombie, not even bothering with his crown. 

They told him that the Crown of the Lost Princess was back, but it didn’t matter, not really. His little girl was never, ever coming home, because even if she did come home, she was a woman now. 

Then another false princess was being Tested, his lovely queen didn’t say so, but when the necklace with the Lock was not around her neck, he knew. Why did they have come on days like this?

It used to fill him with hope, but all that was left was pain, giving up hope hadn’t dulled the pain. He could hardly ever talk when a false princess was in the palace. He had just wanted to weep from the pain of it all, but he needed to stay strong for the kingdom’s sake. All he could do was stare out the window.

The guard had nodded. What did a nod mean? How many ages passed before the meaning of that nod sunk in. 

It was actually their daughter, she had Returned!

Then their life had exploded. He had never felt anything like what he had felt, stopped in the shadows before that door. It was like every emotion on the spectrum ran through him in an instant. Wild desperate hope and terrifying fear had fought in his heart. 

The nod the Lock Guard had given them was all the answer they needed, but it had taken forever to understand what it had really meant. She had passed the impossible test. It had to be their daughter. They had run across the palace together, but stopped dead at that terrifying door.

After opening that door, and moving into the light, he could barely move. His legs didn’t want to work, getting down the steps had taken an eternity. It had to be her, it was her, there couldn’t be any other answer; those eyes, the shape of her body, just like his bride’s, even the hair, brown like his bride’s, her mother, not blonde. He wasn’t sure about that, but she had explained it a little. 

By that time Rebecca had embraced their daughter; all he could do was hold them both, and crash to his knees. It was even better then falling in love, it was like being filled with warm light, floating on air. He had smiled again, how many years had it been since he smiled. 

Love and hope had finally come back into his life, flooding his heart. It was like his heart had learned how to beat all over again.

He rubbed the arm of his beautiful wife who cuddled on his chest.

“I was so worried.” His beautiful bride said.

“About what?”

“That the kidnapper would have turned our daughter into a someone bad or evil.”

“Yes, I know, that would have been worse then finding her dead or even not finding her at all.”

“But somehow she is still a good person,” his wife says in a voice of wonder.

“Yes, yes she is,” the king said in a proud voice.

* * *

There was a long pause. The Queen considered her day. She had kept the hope of her daughter’s return alive. She knew, deep in her heart that her baby was still alive, somewhere. Even after the search had been called off, there was hope and so she had proposed the sky lanterns to keep the beacon of hope alive in everyone. They would get through even this.

Well, the kingdom had to get through this. The kingdom needed to survive. This morning she had begun the preparations for her plan. The kingdom needed an heir so it could survive. Even if she didn’t. The kingdom needed a new queen, one that was young and fertile. She had given it her all, she had almost had fourteen children. Only one had survived, only to be taken by a kidnapper. Her baby, the true heir, might still be alive, but they were out of time. Her husband, the king was getting old and they needed an heir to take his place. 

They would go out on their boat and the wine would be strong and she wouldn’t come back. She needed to do it, for the sake of the kingdom ...to help the kingdom. The eternal pains of hell would be worth it, if the kingdom survived. 

She had dedicated her life to helping all the children of the kingdom, setting up schools and orphanages, in the hope that one day, one of them might be able to find her lost daughter. 

And it had, though not in the way she had intended at all. She was home, her baby was finally home, and sleeping just beyond the wall. She kept having to go and check on her, making sure she was real and it wasn’t all a new and more terrible nightmare then the old one.

After the kidnapping the laws about kidnapping were strengthened. Kidnapping was a terrible crime, just from the sheer despair of not knowing. If a person was killed there was a body to bury, but not so with a kidnapping. No parent should have to go through that. She made sure to sit in on all those trials, not that there had been all that many of them. 

The Queen was uncomfortable about how she felt when the end finally came for a kidnapper, she feared she enjoyed it too much. She didn’t want to be that kind of person, it was too terrible, but she couldn’t not know. So when she learned that the Kidnapper had died, and it was a horrible, horrible death, she hadn’t felt like she had expected.

“I’m not sure how I feel about the Kidnapper right now,” said the queen in a quivering voice. “I hate her for taking our daughter.”

“Yes.”

“But our daughter actually offered her life and freedom for a thief whom she had just met. That is an amazing goodness. I don’t understand how that is possible.” But it was the answer to her prayers, hopes and dreams.

“I think there is a lot to learn about our daughter and that might take a while. The important thing is that she is home, she is safe and she is good. For now, that is enough.” He hugged his wife close and drew up the covers, which had slipped slightly; he didn’t want his wonderful wife to get cold.

Another pause as the Queen lay on her husband’s chest, listening to the steady drumbeat of his heart.

She had seen through the years how her dear husband was slowly falling apart from depression. He tried to be a good king, but the sheer weight of the effects of the kidnapping on top of the worries of the kingdom had worn him down. She helped as much as she could. 

The other night, when he had been crying before the lantern ceremony, she had wanted to tell him that everything would be okay, but the words wouldn’t leave her throat.

He seemed so much better, actively doing things, now that their baby was home. Hope had taken up residence in their hearts again.

Now, just beyond the wall was her baby; finally home. That guard had nodded, they’d never seen a guard do that before. Mortimer always came back with the Lock and a head shake. A nod? What on earth did a nod from a Lock Guard mean? 

They couldn’t run fast enough to the doors to the balcony, but then the idea of opening the shadowed door was beyond her strength. Fear, uncertainty and doubt had flooded her. She had kept hope alive for eighteen, long, heart-breaking years, but the door was terrifying. 

The girl, their daughter, her baby, standing in the sunlight, had looked so much like she had when she was eighteen, even down to the freckles. It was amazing. Could it be real?   
She had slowly stepped down the stairs.  
It wasn’t one of her nightmares, was it?   
Slow steps toward the girl.  
Slowly reaching out to touch, to know. Her heart pounding.  
It was too much like her worst nightmare, which she had so often, where she woke up, just before the touch, but her daughter was warm and real and bright, like the sun was back in their lives and that clenched feeling around her heart for all those years finally let go.   
She could breathe again.  
She had grabbed her daughter and never wanted to let go, ever again.

And in some bizarre, perverse twist of fate, the man that had stolen her crown had brought its’ princess home. But from that moment she considered him family, even if she didn’t exactly trust him.

“He died for her,” whispered the Queen with a shiver.

“I know. I would never have believed it. He didn’t know who she was. He didn’t know that it would kill the Kidnapper. He just wanted to keep her free,” the King said in wonder.

“What are we going to do?” Asked the Queen. He was ...had been... Flynn Rider, but he seemed so different from all they had ever heard about Flynn Rider.

“I don’t know yet. I will need to talk to him,” the King said seriously.

“They are in love,” his queen stated, privately thinking she would need to talk to him too.

“Yes, you’ve seen how they look at each other.”

“Yes. I-I’m sorry I haven’t looked at you that way for so long. I do love you.” She looked up at him. He could see her massive eyes reflecting the pale moonlight.

“I’m sorry, too. I love you, so very much. It’s been ...difficult with her being taken.” They hug and kiss.

“Why can’t we tell her we love her?” The father asked. It had sounded beyond insane when his beloved wife had whispered those words to him, but he trusted her.

“Because Eugene asked me not too. He told me she is hurt when he told her that and he didn’t want us to go through that.”

“Eugene Fitzherbert, also known as Flynn Rider, asked you not to tell our lost daughter that we love her. And you ...believed him?”

“Yes, I did. I am not sure why, but there was something in his eyes that begged me to believe him. It is too outrageous a request to be a lie, and what could he gain from a lie like that? Can we trust him?” asks the mother.

“I don’t know. He’ll have to be watched. I hope he can be, I think he wants to be, I really do. Dying for our daughter is a very good start. Confessing to his crimes and asking for judgment is too.”

The queen plays with his chest hair. She could smell the horses of the stable and the stuff they use to keep the prison clean on him. “Loose ends” was something he said when he had to do something necessary and often unpleasant. 

What loose ends were there? She knew she should ask and find out to be a good queen, but maybe, just this once, she’ll let it go. The plan recommended releasing all the prisoners, slaves and indentured servants. It sounded like a good idea, but she was just so relieved that her baby was home it was hard to care about tiny details like that.

She didn’t think it could have been the horse, he had rescued their daughter and should be rewarded. The thug they talked to that had broken Eugene out of prison, didn’t need extra punishment, they should be let go and rewarded too. Their lives should be full of light too. 

“They worked, they actually worked.” The queen said with triumphant wonder, her eyes filling with happy tears, distracted by all that happened today. Her idea had worked, it had been the knotted end of hope, one last thing to do to keep hope alive for all of them. It was senseless, to the point of insanity. No kidnapper was foolish enough to keep their daughter close enough for their daughter to ever see the lanterns. It had been for the sake of the kingdom really.

“Hm? What worked?” the King was wondering if what he had done tonight were the right things to have done.

“The lanterns. The signal of hope we’ve been sending all these years, they really did help bring her home to us.” She wiped her eyes on her love’s pajamas. 

“Yes, they really did.”

“What an amazing day.” And the queen cried herself to sleep that night, like she had for 18 years, and it felt so different to do it from joy rather then hate.


	29. First Day Home

“no, No, NOOOO!” Came the screams from Rapunzel’s room.

The doors crashed open as the guards burst into the beloved princess’ darkened room. Their swords reflected the pale light of dawn from the balcony and the candle lit corridor as they created a perimeter around the bed of their princess.

The Lock Maid Margaret rushed straight to the princess, who was thrashing about in the bed. Quickly determining that there was nothing threatening her in the bed, Margaret gripped the sleeping princess and shook her, “M’lady! Princess! You are home! You are safe!”

“Wa, wa, wa?” Rapunzel’s huge green eyes flew open; the bright light of the door dazzled her huge green eyes. She gasped for breath as her heart pounded against her chest from the terrible nightmare.

There was someone gripping her arms, some faceless being that was backlit by the light from the door, someone not Mother.

Rapunzel could see other dark persons with big knives; they were all around her bed. Strangers and knives: Both were bad. Trying to defend herself, she pushed the person holding her away. Margaret slid back several feet as the King and Queen came rushing in.

Rapunzel whimpered as she burrowed backwards into her fish embroidered pillows, trying to get somewhere safe in this unknown world.

Pascal, in an alarmed red, was buried under a pillow.

“Are you okay? I’m here for you. Mama’s here. Papa’s here.” Queen Rebecca called as she slid to her knees next to the bed, gripping her daughter’s shoulders.

Through her terror, Rapunzel found eyes that looked so much like hers, floating in front of her as the light of the dawn spread softly into the room and maids began lighting candles along the walls. Her lungs panting, she gripped the arms of the person holding her, trying to comprehend. She sees someone she knows, someone important to her; her mama, her _real_ mama.

With the wail of a brokenhearted child, she flung her arms around her real mother. “Oh, Mama!” Rapunzel sobbed, clinging to her real mother with all her soul.

Leonard went around to the other side of the bed, knelt down and wrapped them both in his protective embrace.

“Whoa!” said Eugene, as he flailed wildly past the door. He grabbed at the door jam as he slid past the door in his socks, which he had been too tired to remove last night.

Guards moved forward to protect the princess from the known criminal.

“Rapunzel, are you okay?” Eugene shouted from the door, blocked by the guards.

“Eugene!” Rapunzel desperately called back, reaching toward him around her real mother. The king nodded and the guards let him pass.

Vaguely, the king saw the guards lower their swords and move back to their positions. “There, there, you’re safe,” he said in his deep comforting voice.

The maids began opening the drapes over the windows and lighting candles around the room. The warm light of sunrise filled the room.

“It was a nightmare, wasn’t it?” Eugene said, as he sat down by her feet.

Rapunzel nodded, wiping her eyes. Then she reached out for Eugene and pulled him into a tight hug.

Soon Rapunzel’s sobbing eased and her breathing slowed. Pascal walked up and nuzzled her leg.

“You’re safe here. You won’t be taken again,” said the Queen.

“It wasn’t about being taken. It was everything being taken from me: Mother turning to dust, Eugene was rotting, the tower was crumbling, and even the stars were going out. My hair was cut, I couldn’t do anything to help. It was so terrible.” Rapunzel said in a shaky voice. The sound of her hair dying haunted her ears.

“It was only a nightmare, it wasn’t real. It’s okay. You’re safe with us.” Rebecca held her daughter close.

Rapunzel nodded, after another deep breath flopped back onto the bed and began to relax.

The king and queen adjusted themselves on the bed, just then Margaret came back in with pots of tea and some bread, butter, and a variety of jams. Chamberlains brought in a small table and chairs.

Margaret curtsied. “I brought some chamomile tea, some bread and jam for breakfast, your Majesty.”

“Ah, yes, that would be very good, thank you.” The Queen thought that the tea should help calm her daughter.

Leonard, Rebecca and Eugene rose to move to the table, and Rapunzel threw back her covers. Rapunzel gave a grunt as she swung her legs out of her whale shaped bed. She began to sing as she reached up to her shoulder, but stopped after only a few words, as her hands found only her short brown hair.

“That was so pretty. Why did you stop?” asked the Queen.

Rapunzel looked with wet eyes and quivering lip toward Eugene as her hands gripped the short brown hair. Pascal came up and nuzzled her. She bit her lip to keep from crying again, as her empty hands flopped into her lap. She put a gentle but bruised hand on her best friend.

Eugene answered sadly, “Because I cut off her magic hair and she can’t heal herself anymore.” 

He knelt in front of her and hugged her again. “You’re hurting, aren’t you?”

Rapunzel nodded and looked down as a tear slid down her freckled face.

Eugene sat next to her and gently began to massage her shoulders, as her parents shared a look.

Rapunzel squirmed under the pressure of his hands as she said, “Ow, ow, ow.”

“Let me do this, I’ve fallen off plenty of roofs. It’ll feel better really soon,” said Eugene.

Soon the knots in her shoulders and neck eased a bit. Eugene could see even her scalp was bruised as well, but what was left of her hair hid it well enough. The massage soon began to feel pleasant and Rapunzel began to purr. Mama and Papa stood close by to try to give her their support.

“Thank you,” said Rapunzel, putting her arms around Eugene again. Then Pascal limped up into Rapunzel’s lap and squeaked that he was hungry.

They moved to the small table for breakfast, just as the sun peaked over the horizon. Pascal snagged some grapes with his tongue, turning green and purple in turn, which fascinated the King.

Rapunzel was enjoying the grapes too, after they told her that spitting out and not chewing the seeds was a good idea. She had never had any fruit other then apples and berries and the new flavors delighted her. The bread was much sweeter, whiter, and fluffier then what she made back at the tower and was a little jealous of the baker.

They ate quietly, staying close to each other, but everyone’s eyes tended to linger on the terrible bruises on Rapunzel’s wrists. Her hands kept wandering to her shoulder as she worried about how her parents were reacting. She kept close watch on the faces of her parents, especially her mama. She kept having to remind herself that she hadn’t hurt herself, and didn’t deserve a Punishment.

“Um...Rapunzel.” Started the King hesitantly, calling his daughter by a name other then that they had given her. “There is a plan for your Return. Several things are going to happen today and over the next few days....”


	30. Rapunzel Meets the Medical Staff

Eugene was finishing up breakfast with Rapunzel and the royal family. He was being extra polite, keeping his movements small and unobtrusive. It was so freaky doing this, but it seemed natural enough after comforting Rapunzel’s nightmare to just sit down and have breakfast with them. He was walking on eggshells, not knowing what was coming next. 

He knew he desperately needed to be near Rapunzel. His heart needed her like food and water. He’d go to prison if he had to, even die if he must, but he just couldn’t leave Rapunzel. The royal couple kept referring to “the plan,” whatever that was, and he still had no idea what he part in all this was.

The door to the princess’ room opened and the Headmistress of the Orphanage, Elsbeth Hildegard, entered.  
Eugene jumped to his feet, stood at attention and said, “Good morning, Headmistress Hildegard.” Old habits died hard. The Headmistress had to be quite strict to manage all the children.

“Eugene? So the rumors are true. You’ve been a bad boy.” She chastised him gently.

Eugene looked down. “I know. That was Flynn Rider, but I’m not him anymore.”

She walked up to Eugene and made him look her in the eye. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” He said apologetically, looking back. “I’m sorry for being bad.”

“Good.” She said as she smiled and pulled him into a hug. Leonard and Rebecca shared a look. 

Eugene felt odd to be taller then she was, but he still loved her hugs. The Headmistress might have had to be very strict to keep them all in line, but she did love them. She loved him even now, and it meant so much. She never gave up on him. He would do her proud, not like Flynn.

“Dr. Schwartz. Headmistress Hildegard. Good morning and thank you for coming.” Welcomed the King who had stood and was shaking their hands.

“This is our daughter, Rapunzel. She passed the test, but she is injured. She needs your attention.” The King explained. 

“Rapunzel?” Dr. Wilhem Schwartz asked.

“That’s the name Mother...the kidnapper, always used for me. It’s the only name I know.” Rapunzel explained, it felt weird to think she had a different name, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know what it was; would a different name change who she was? Her hands were groping near her shoulder again.

“After the kidnapping she was kept in a tower the whole time, which was one of the reasons we could never find her. She was injured in the battle with the Kidnapper.” The King explained and waved over his daughter, who stood and padded over.

Eugene gave them a little room as they huddled around Rapunzel. 

The King turned to his daughter. “Rapunzel, this is Dr. Wilhem Schwartz, the court physician and Elsbeth Hildegard, the Headmistress of the Orphanage. They are here to examine you and do what they can for your injuries.”

“Oh, okay.” Said Rapunzel as she looked at their hair. His was black and started rather far back on his head and hers was brown and rather short.

“May I examine your wrists please?” asked the doctor, the bruises were quite obvious and a quick look was a place to start.

The girl intently looked at their faces, and after a moment she held out her wrists so they could see. The doctor gently took one in his hand and said, “Tell me when it hurts.” As he began to move her hand; checking range of motion and poking the lurid bruises that were turning green and yellow along the edges. Rapunzel winced a few times, and cried out once but it was over quickly.

“How did this happen, dear?” Asked the Headmistress. 

“After Mother knocked me out,” Rapunzel began and the doctor and the headmistress exchanged a look, they had worked together many times evaluating orphans and injured children. This sounded like a bad case. “Um. She chained me to the column by her door. She gagged me when we heard Eugene and Maximus running into the canyon. Mother threw my hair down to Eugene and hid. I wanted to warn him but the gag was in the way and I was still woozy. I started sliding across the floor as Eugene climbed my hair. I didn’t have a chance to set myself like I normally do. It was hurting a lot, usually I can hold my hair and it doesn’t hurt, but I couldn’t. Eugene is really heavy and it felt like my head was going to come off.”

Rapunzel was massaging her neck. 

They looked at Eugene, “I thought it was her idea. I didn’t know I was hurting her.”

“Threw your hair down?” The Headmistress asked, as she reached out toward Rapunzel’s brunette hair, Rapunzel shied away from the hand. The stopped and let her hand fall.

“Yes. It was the only way how she or anyone could get into the Tower. It used to be long and blonde but when my hair is cut it turns brown and loses its power.” Rapunzel explained, matter-of-factly. 

“Okay,” said the Headmistress, just taking it in stride. Children that had been abused often found some of the most bizarre things ordinary. She would talk to the queen and they could figure it out.

“We are going to ask you to take off you clothes for the examination, to make sure we don’t miss anything. Is that okay?” Elsbeth asked. Some children had problems with that, having been repeatedly raped.

“Oh, sure.” said Rapunzel, who opened her robe, let it drop to the floor and began unlacing her nightgown.

“Ah, not yet dear.” Said the Queen, after a moment’s shock, quickly picking up the robe and putting it over her daughter’s shoulders again.

Significant looks ricocheted all around the room and Eugene found himself at the receiving end of them all. The king was looking extra grumpy. Eugene could only take a half-step back, open his hands, shrug and shake his head. He had nothing to do with all this. Flynn had found a comfy chair in the back of Eugene’s mind and expressed his disappointment in the canceling of the show by throwing his popcorn.


	31. Eugene Worries

The King and Eugene were shooed from Rapunzel’s room. They passed Margaret who was talking to another maid with some gold trim on her apron strings. 

The Queen paused to speak with the Head of the Lock Maids and began, “Angela, would you get me a dress, please. The green would be nice. My daughter will need a dress as well, bring a few of mine for her to use for now, something long-sleeved.”

Eugene went back to the Green bedroom, as the princess was evaluated.

“Hello, sir. I have some new clothes for you, and a bath ready for you,” said a butler in black and red, standing by the door to the Green bedroom. 

It was obvious why it was called the Green bedroom. It was all shades of green with some gold paint highlights here and there. The bed looked like four trees had grown together, there were no bed curtains for the summer. It wasn’t bad really, almost like sleeping in the forest, only without the roots and rocks sticking into his back. 

“Uh, okay. Thanks,” replied Eugene.

Eugene went in and was very grateful for the bath. He'd been on the run for three days and while the dam break had been refreshing it didn't do anything about all the sweat from last night trying to keep from being hung. He'd washed the worst away from the pitcher on the vanity last night but a proper bath was welcome.

Eugene was resigned to his fate. He had made bad decisions in his life, he knew that. They had seemed like the best way to get the things he wanted most, but none of that mattered to him any more, only Rapunzel mattered. She was what he wanted most of all, not as a possession but as a friend. For her, he needed to be the best person he could be. 

She deserved so much more then what he could give her, even trying to save her, he had hurt her. Somehow he needed to do better, though to start that he needed to make things right with the King. 

Eugene got out of the bath and toweled himself off.

He was also going to need time to speak with Rapunzel. He had had no idea what that leap of faith had meant to her. He knew she had hesitated; no one jumps from a height like that without some pause. She had never trusted ‘mother’ that way, yet somehow she had trusted him. It humbled him and tore at his heart, he knew what mother could mean to a person. At the time he just wanted to save her so she could still get him the crown. 

But now? Now he could never let her down, no matter the cost. 

His clothes were missing, no surprise there, really, his clothes had been torn and caked with blood. The butler had laid some out for him to choose. 

Eugene put on the forest shirt and black pants. The clothes the butler provided fit well enough. Flynn Rider didn’t like them, too fancy and not tailored, he thought it made him look frumpy. Teal worked much better on him.

Eugene finished pulling on his boots, they had left them at least, though they had been cleaned. He thanked the butler and walked back to Rapunzel’s room. 

Flynn noticed the palace guard that was shadowing him back down the hall. 

Eugene stood outside Rapunzel’s door waiting as Rapunzel was evaluated and the women finished dressing. Flynn was never one much for standing and waiting. Flynn was urging him to run. Right now running felt like a good solution, but it wasn’t the right solution and Eugene was determined to do the right thing. Rapunzel deserved nothing less from him.

Eventually, the King came out of his room with his Seneschal. The King’s face became grim as he noticed Eugene leaning against wall in front of the princess’ room. Eugene’s stomach lurched into his liver as he stood up straight. Flynn Rider had faced down brutal thugs outnumbering him fifteen to one, but right now Eugene felt completely outclassed.

A chambermaid came out and said that the Queen and Princess were ready to receive them now, just as the King reached them. 

The King went in first. 

Eugene saw another maid with crossed apron strings, kneeling behind Rapunzel closing up a sewing box, Flynn Rider appreciated the view down that fine bosom, but Eugene’s eyes sought only Rapunzel. She was in a blue dress with long sleeves that covered her wrists that reminded him of the ocean on a stormy day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angela, the Lock Maid with the gold trim is the Head of the Lock Maids. She is not the wife of Captain Taygon.


	32. Meeting the Bankers

King Leonard turned to his not-so-little girl, the Princess Rapunzel, after finishing some strawberry jam toast as he continued to tell her about the plan for today. She was going to be medically evaluated by the court physician and the headmistress of the orphanage who were the most knowledgeable about these things, then get dressed and finally met the bankers before the big announcement and meeting the people. “We are going to meet the bankers before the Jubilee. They are going to be hardest hit by what is about to happen, so they are getting some warning and meeting the reason for it.”

“Okay, but what are bankers?” asked Rapunzel, feeling so dumb. From what her papa had said so far the Jubilee sounded so nice and good, but she wasn’t even sure where to start asking questions about all the things she didn’t understand.

“They lend money to people who promise to pay them back later with interest.”

“Um, what is money and interest?” asked Rapunzel shyly, feeling her ignorance, but she thought she needed to know. Her hands were wandering around her shoulder again.

“Money is a neutral form of exchange for goods and services,” chimed in Eugene.   
”It’s gold, silver and copper in this kingdom. Nicely portable,” Flynn smiled broadly.

The Seneschal pulled some out of his pocket. “You never saw anything like this?”

Rapunzel poked at the coins, “No, I never knew exactly what Mother did outside of the tower.”   
The coins were pretty, the yellow ones had papa’s face, the grey ones mama’s and on the red ones she was guessing that was her face as a baby; for some reason that made the base of her spine feel strange.

“Did you or she ever make a lot of something, and she took it away and came back with something else you wanted,” asked the queen.

“Oh yes, we would make lots of candles, knitting, and other things and she would take most of them and come back with food, fabric or a brush, I wore out brushes rather quickly, or for special occasions, paints or chalk,” said Rapunzel.

“Well, instead of bartering those candles directly for a brush or book, she probably sold them to a candlemaker for money and then use the money for buying the brush.” Said the King

“Oh, okay. So why is it so important for me to meet them?” asked the princess.

“Well, because we are about to proclaim a jubilee, and among other things we will be forgiving all debts," said the King.

“What’s a debt?” Asked Rapunzel, she felt uncomfortable, she didn’t seem to know very much, but this seemed important.

“It’s a promise to pay the banker back in the future for use of money today.” said Eugene.

“That sounds nice.” smiled Rapunzel.

“It is, but in the short term it will hurt them,” said the King.

“Oh, no.” Rapunzel was wondering if coming home had been all that great an idea, so many things are happening because of her and it didn’t sound like all of it was good. First, she almost hurt the justice system and now the bankers. She was a good girl and didn’t want to hurt anything. Her hair had always let her fix things, but this didn’t seem like something her hair could have fixed. Her hair couldn’t fix everything, but she was feeling bad, everything seemed so complicated. Hr fingers were in her hair but it was too short to worry properly.

“Your returning to the kingdom is a very good thing and it provides us the very best chance to clean up some things that have been building up over the years. I haven’t been a very good king lately and I need to fix some things. Make things right. Start over. I don’t want to surprise them with this, so we are meeting with them to give them warning so they aren’t too mad about it. This will be once in their lifetimes, but even so, it will be a blow to them. If they meet you, then they will understand.” He looked at his beautiful daughter hopefully, putting a hand out and she took it in hers.

“What do I need to do?” She wanted so much to be a good princess, but had no idea where to start.

The king considered his daughter, she was so kind and innocent, and unprepared for the intrigue of the court. It would be best to let her be herself, and not give her too much information she’ll say things in innocence that might be bad, but that may be useful, too.

“You just need to be yourself and talk to them. They need to meet you. I think they’ll understand.”

“Okay.” Rapunzel said uncertainly.

“You asked that Eugene and the Pub Thugs be spared. Well, to spare them would not be fair, slavery and indentured servitude isn’t fair either and so are some of the debts my people have gotten into. Your return to the kingdom gives us a one-in-a-lifetime chance to clean the slate and start over, to make things better for everyone. Unfortunately, some people will be hurt, one group we know will be hurt will be the bankers to give them some warning will lessen the hurt and to know you will help too. You are such a good person. This is politics, but I am hoping they will forgive us, for your sake.”

“I’ll do what I can to help,” the princess said hopefully.

“I know you will.”

# # # 

Rapunzel and Eugene were waiting near the room the King, the Queen and the Bankers were talking in. 

Rapunzel was eager to help her real parents, but she felt so lost. When she had left the Tower, she knew she wanted to see the lanterns. That goal had completely changed her life and she was trying to deal with it all. She felt so vulnerable outside the tower now, though the medical evaluation everyone had been so concerned about, hadn’t been a big deal.

She was wearing the blue dress of her mama’s that they had hastily altered to fit her for this. It was long sleeved to cover the lurid bruises on her wrists, it covered her from floor to throat and only showed her head and fingers. Which right now she rather liked, it hugged her and felt like it protected her a little. Being naked wasn’t a problem, but there were so many persons and it was hard to watch to make sure she wasn't getting any of them angry.

Now she was about to meet the bankers and try to explain why they needed to be hurt, but she didn’t understand anything of what they even did. She didn’t want to hurt anyone. Yet, just her coming home seemed to hurt some persons. At least they had explained that the Jubilee would keep the justice system from being destroyed. 

Rapunzel felt so stupid, she really was just like Mother told her so often. 

Rapunzel let go of Eugene’s hand and put her arms around him as she heard the angry shouts come from the room. 

“It’s okay. They are just surprised by your father. It’s going to fine. They can’t hurt you,” said Eugene, as Pascal nuzzled her cheek from her shoulder. 

“You’re sure?” asked Rapunzel. She didn’t want to be punished.

“Totally. You are a princess,” smiled Eugene. “You’ll be fine. I know I have to wait out here, but Pascal and your parents will be with you. Just tell them that the lanterns called to you and how you bashed me with your frying pan to get to them.” Eugene was a little annoyed, he was going to have to cool his heals here so as not to upset the bankers even more. Flynn Rider would be the wrong kind of distraction for this meeting, but he wanted to support and help Rapunzel in all this. 

“Hey, they can’t be worse then the thugs you connected with in the Snuggly Duckling.” Eugene reminded her.

Rapunzel smiled back now that things had quieted down in the room next door. Then the Queen came in and said, “Okay dear. They are ready to meet you now.”

Eugene squeezed her hand one last time and the two women left together. 

Rapunzel entered the large room with her mama. Papa smiled at her as he came over and brought her forward. 

“This is our daughter. The Lost Princess Returned. Princess Rapunzel.” Papa said. 

“Ah, Hello.” Rapunzel said.

Everyone leaned forward like they were looking for something on the floor. Rapunzel found herself leaning forward too but didn’t see anything on the polished marble floor. Then they stood up straight again and looked at her expectantly, but she had no idea what to do. She looked intently at their faces, many were slightly angry, a few were curious, but one looked really angry. Her insides were writhing. She really needed to pee. She really wished she could hide or that she had her frying pan, she shouldn’t have left it home.

“She passed the Test of the Lost Princess and as you can see for yourselves she looks just like her mother,” announced Papa.

Rapunzel felt her Mama come up next to her and take her hand. She looked over and got a smile and encouraging nod from her Mama. 

“Tell them why you came home,” whispered Mama. 

“Oh. Well. I came here because of the floating lights, um, lanterns. I could see them from my window in the Tower late at night on my birthday. I could feel them calling me; they were special to me. It was my dream to see the lanterns up close and know what they were and why they were important to me.” Rapunzel began. The bankers looked unimpressed. She remembered what Eugene had told her.

“I tried asking Mot...the kidnapper to take me to see the lanterns, but she said I could never leave the Tower. Then Flynn Rider climbed into my tower. I was scared and alone but I had to protect my home. So I knocked him out with my frying pan.”

The bankers burst out laughing. Rapunzel felt her insides relax; no one here had pointy teeth. Storytelling was fun and they soon warmed to her story. She told them about the bunny rabbit, the PubThugs and the dam break. How she had had a wonderful time in the city and finally seeing the lights. Then Eugene’s betrayal, returning to the tower in despair and finally the revelation that she was the Lost Princess and the final confrontation with the kidnapper.

“I didn’t know why the lanterns were so important to me until I found out that they are a signal of hope calling the Lost Princess home and that I am the Lost Princess. They really did help bring me home.”

Then the bankers were shaking her hand, though it hurt a little. They were all smiling and happy as they welcomed her home, which made Rapunzel feel glad inside. 

The bankers congratulated her Papa on what a fine girl she was. They were glad she was home whatever the cost.


	33. Rapunzel and the Menarche

Twelve-and-a-half-year-old Rapunzel was sitting on her beautiful bed with the curved posts and pretty pink canopy and she was terrified.

The bed curtains were pulled closed, and she was under her covers whispering her special song, her glowing hair wrapped around her middle, trying to hide it from Mother. She was bleeding and hurting. She didn’t know why and her special gift wasn’t fixing it. Pascal was in front of her lit up by the glowing, golden hair, in a concerned purple.

She was scared, because her hair always healed things before. It wasn’t like trying to heal an emotion, she was bleeding and it wasn’t stopping. Her hair is supposed to be able to fix this. It always had before.

But what was worse, was that Mother would Punish her if she hurt herself. Mother had many punishments, just yesterday she had had to sit quietly on her stool, for an hour, with her eyes closed, in the middle of the room, because she had talked back to Mother. 

She wasn’t sure why she did that.

That punishment had nearly driven her crazy. She could hear Mother moving around the tower, doing things, ordinary things probably, but it was so hard to keep her eyes closed and not ask what Mother was doing. She had looped her nearly 50 feet of hair into a pile by her feet. She didn’t want Mother doing anything to her with her hair, again.

She was scared, because the Punishment for hurting herself was terrible and it was worse then the bleeding.

Mother didn’t punish her for most accidents; she let her heal herself without a problem or comment. But if she hurt herself on purpose the Punishment was so terrible. She was in the tower to stay safe and hurting herself was a bad.

She had put the kitchen knife through her arm. 

Mother had made a terrible face at that. She never wanted to see that face again. She was so careful to watch Mother’s face. Mother had given her a new punishment she called lashes. She had used her leather belt on her bottom, back, feet and hands. It had hurt so much, she thought she was going to die. It had been so hard to see the clock at the end, she could only see a small bit of the clock, and it had been so hard to sing the healing song, panting it out. But it had worked, though she had screamed out the last few words, as the pain went away, it felt so good.

Rapunzel never forgot that Punishment and never wanted to go through Punishment again. While she did many things that Mother might consider daring and even risky, Rapunzel made sure to not do them when Mother was around.

She didn’t hurt herself on purpose, but she wasn’t sure if Mother would believe her. However, Mother might know why her hair wasn’t working.

There was no choice, but to go to Mother. She was already late getting out of bed, too, which would be punished as well. It’s just getting worse and worse. Pascal gave her some encouragement and she got out of bed and walked slowly down the stairs; her 50 feet of hair making more noise then her bare feet.

* * *

It was a hot, late-summer day and Mother was making a cold breakfast of apples. Rapunzel stood before her, her large green eyes looking at the floor, worrying a strand of golden hair near her shoulder. “Mother, I think something is wrong with my hair, it isn’t healing me like it should.”

Gothel’s eyes went very large, “What!?”   
She rushed to the large standing mirror and looked in it. “Rapunzel, get ready to sing for me.”

Rapunzel got Mother’s red chair and her own stool and the brush and waited patiently, her eyes down.

Gothel had found a liver spot and a few grey hairs, and then she sat in her chair, Rapunzel shakily put a loop of hair in Mother’s lap, gave her the brush and began to sing, her angelic voice marred by a slight frightened quaver. In moments, Gothel was looking completely young again, who rushed back to the mirror to inspect the results, after passing the brush back to her flower.

Rapunzel’s belly began to hurt again and she began rubbing it with one hand as she continued to hold the brush in the other. Gothel, after a few minutes of admiring her young self in the mirror, was relieved that the magic, golden hair still worked. She turned back to Rapunzel, and noticed Rapunzel rubbing her lower belly.

“You are still hurting, pet?” Gothel asked.

“Yes, and-and bleeding, too.” Rapunzel admitted quietly.

“Bleeding? Where?” Gothel said with some alarm.

“From here.” Rapunzel pointed to the place where her legs came together.

“And you didn’t hurt yourself?” Asked Gothel with narrowed eyes.

“No,” it was a plea.

* * *

Gothel put the back of her hand on Rapunzel’s forehead, checking for a fever, but she was fine.  
She looked hard at Rapunzel, more then she had in some time. Rapunzel was bigger, how quickly she was growing up.  
Gothel cocked her head and added up the irritability, the pain and bleeding and came up with,   
\--a rueful smile.

Gothel put it all together in her head. Rapunzel was a woman now. Her period had started for the very first time.  
She could twist this, use this against Rapunzel to punish her every month, make her even more malleable.  
But she remembered what her own mother had done for her, oh so long ago. This was special, once-in-a-lifetime special. It had to be okay, just this once.

Gothel decided.

* * *

Rapunzel was getting so worried, Mother was thinking for a long time and the emotions running around her face were odd. She could see Mother’s eyes wrinkle at the edges, her lips purse, the muscles in her jaw tense. Was something terribly wrong with her? Was she broken? Would she die? Or worst of all, was she going to be Punished?

Finally, a great big smile lit up Mother’s face, it was the biggest smile she’d ever seen on Mother.

“My flower, you are beginning to bud. You’ve taken the first step to becoming a woman. I’m so proud of you.”

Rapunzel was confused as Mother picked her up and gave her the biggest hug ever. It felt so good, it had been one week and three days since their last hug and she drank it in as she put her own arms around Mother and her head on her chest.

“Oh, I have to do something special for you. Oh, oh, I know, hazelnut soup and something else. Something? Yes, how about some fabric for a new dress. Now let’s gather up all the candles we can so I can get you fabric for a new dress.” Mother said excitedly.

Mother was being enormously generous, this must be wonderful, whatever it was. “Could I have some red fabric, please?”   
Rapunzel had always wanted red, because Mother wore it most of the time, especially when she went Outside.

Gothel stopped, and looked serious, “I said you are beginning to bud, not in full flower, my dear.”   
Rapunzel began to worry again. 

“You are not grown up yet, but you have taken a big step. How about a good pink, you know what pink is right?” Gothel said with a slight smile. For some reason Rapunzel associated red with being grown up, so she had to keep red clothes away from her flower.

“A mixture of red and white.” Rapunzel said excitedly.

“You’ve still not ready to wear red or go outside, but you are closer now then you were and I am proud of you.” Mother said gently with a smile.

Gothel crushed the question about going outside before it came, she didn’t like to do that, but better to do it before her Flower asked, she needed to be kept safe and protected and the tower did that so well. Rapunzel looked so hopeful, but a little sad about the red fabric and not going outside.

Gothel ran her hand over Rapunzel’s hair. Looking at the precious hair as it meandered around the room. 

Then she remembered something. She had something that she could use as a gift for this occasion that would make Rapunzel very happy.

“Oo. I just remembered, I have a gift for you that I can give your right now. Sit in your chair and close your eyes.” Gothel said excitedly.

Rapunzel gave her a look, but dashed over to her green chair, gathered up her hair, sat down primly and very deliberately closed her huge green eyes. Mother had used this is a punishment just yesterday, but this felt so different.

Gothel dove for her closet and rummaged around in it looking for a box. Ah, there it is. Then she went over to Rapunzel and dragged her chair next to her flower and put the box in her lap and said, “Ta-da. Open you eyes.”

Young Rapunzel opened her eyes and looked at the box. She put her hands on it and looked at Mother.

“Go ahead, open it.” Gothel said, giving permission.

Rapunzel opened the box and looked inside. Her large eyes went all huge and her mouth made an O of astonishment. 

It was red ribbon.

“You might not be grownup enough for a red dress, but you are grown up enough for some red ribbon for your hair.” Gothel said proudly.

Gothel had intended the red ribbon for her next dress, she hardly ever found the right shade of red ribbon that went best with her skin, but Rapunzel deserved it more. She had taken such a big step in her life.

They tied the hair every few feet with the precious red ribbon. Then they gathered up the extra candles, knitting and a few other things Gothel could use to trade for fabric and they moved to the window. Gothel wondered if she wangle a few extra coins from the candlemaker by telling him about what happened, but that was getting so close to telling him about the hair. She’d haggle with the men and she’d have to make sure to lean forward really far, that usually got a few extra coins, and then got to that other village and buy from the women who would be understanding and maybe add a few inches to the fabric for the occasion.

“I love you, very much,” said Gothel sitting on the edge of the window, waiting for Rapunzel to throw down her hair so she could climb down.

“I love you more,” said Rapunzel with tears of joy in her green eyes and the red ribbons in her sunshine gold hair.

“I love you most. This is going to be wonderful.” Gothel finished their ritual of love with a warm smile.


	34. The Jubilee Announcement

“My people,” the King of Corona boomed from the plaza balcony, the square again filled with people, more people then ever before. The proclamation hadn’t stated what this was about, but the king knew that rumors had spread long before the proclamation was written.

“I want to thank you first of all for all the years of love, faith and hope you have given us all these long years. Two days ago all of us launched the sky lanterns to signal hope for the return of the Lost Princess, to call her home to our loving arms. They worked! Meet your princess. Princess Rapunzel!”

Rapunzel stepped forward and waved, flanked by the Queen and Eugene. There arose a mighty cheer, but underneath there was a buzz of talk.

“I know, I know, that is not the name we gave her, but that is the name she was raised with and it is the name she will be known by.

“Now I wish to honor her rescuers, Eugene Fitzherbert!” There was another cheer, but the ones nearest the balcony buzzed because he looked a lot like Flynn Rider.

“Maximus!” Everyone cheered as he was the most recognizable horse among the palace guard. His mane had been done up again for the occasion.

“And the Pub Thugs!” Some people in the back cheered, but most of those in the front gasped and a few small children began to cry. The PubThugs shifted on their feet uncomfortably, looking back and forth at each other. Poor BigNose looked like he wanted to cry too. 

This morning they had their stuff returned to them and then they were marched over to the palace, where a bossy little man had make them wash their hands and faces, even behind their ears, and comb their hair. They were all feeling very off balance. Vladamir barfed from the anxiety, he tended to do that before big jobs if they had to wait around too long. Then they had met the King who told them what was going to happen. They also met the Queen, Flynn, who was going by Eugene now for some reason and Rapunzel, who had short, brown hair now. Hookhand almost slapped his forehead with his hook, it was the girl Flynn and the Queen were with last night.

“I know what you must be thinking; these men are criminals, how could they ever help get the princess home? If you will get to know these honored guests as my daughter did and how I have, you will know just how great a love I have for them and for you my people, because if these are the type of people who are the criminals in this land, then what must our good people be like. Let me tell you the tale of how the Lost Princess returned. And it all started with the lanterns.”

He launched into the story about why Rapunzel was taken and how the Kidnapper had used her as a slave to her selfish needs for all these years. How the lanterns had called to her, but the horrible abuses of the kidnapper had kept her in the tower. 

How the thief Flynn Rider had stolen the Crown of the Lost Princess; had escaped the dedicated guards and with great cunning found the hidden tower where she was kept. How she had captured him with a frying pan -- Eugene looked suitably embarrassed as the crowed laughed -- and made him agree to take her to see the lanterns. 

He wove a careful tale, his people had loved and honored him and his queen all these painful years, and here was a chance to help them reach for a higher level. They were such a good people and he wanted them to become great.

There were honest cheers for the Pub thugs when he got to their part at the Snuggly Duckling, and he honored the palace guard for doing their duty, he did not want them ridiculed. 

Everyone was leaning forward as he told them of the dam break, and their escape. They gasped as they learned she had almost been kidnapped again, and the cheers that came when he told them of how Maximus and the Pub Thugs rescued Eugene from the prison where the loudest yet.

Maximus summoned the strength to rear up once for the crowd, their answering roar was something he would always remember. The PubThugs and the Palace Guard were all standing straighter, proud of their parts in this rescue, even though they had not even known they were doing it. 

The crowd gasped as he told them of Eugene being stabbed. Many were crying as he related his daughter’s desperate deal to save his life; and his final selfless sacrifice to save her freedom and his death. 

“But there was one final drop of magic left by the Sun’s gift in our daughter, one last tear that saved Eugene Fitzherbert. Together they brought the exhausted Maximus back. Together they proved she was the true Lost Princess, our daughter. Together, with the PubThugs they showed me the true quality of the people of this kingdom, the very finest. I am so proud of you all!

“In conclusion, to honor this joyous occasion we proclaim: a Jubilee!  
\- To honor the freedom of our daughter; we proclaim the freedom of all slaves and indentured servants.  
\- To honor these brave men; we bid the prison doors open and beg all of you to find ways to bring them into our community, to help them find their best selves and best place.  
\- And finally; to honor all the love you have given us all these years, we proclaim all debts be forgiven.” 

Oh, the cheers that rose that day. The love the King had expressed to the people sunk into their hearts, they loved their princess and wanted to do her proud. 

Captain Taygon had been right thinking that the blissed-out haze would last a whole week, but he had never imagined the whole kingdom being in on it. The people not only welcomed the criminals into their arms, but also each other. 

Everyone tried their best to make someone else’s dream come true. Many people began doing completely different things, there was a massive shuffle as everything changed. Those who didn’t know what their dreams were, were loved and encouraged to try whatever they wanted to try, as they continued in what they did know how to do and when they found their dream, there was much rejoicing.


	35. Dancing and Nap Time

Lock Captain Vince Taygon, head of royal security, was looking over the crowd in front of the palace. They had eight of the Lock Guard near the royal family, and a couple of squads of palace guards in the square, that should do well enough.

The people of the kingdom were very happy to meet the Princess; who was talking to a group of four little girls in braids and identical dresses. Their parents were nearby and many others were milling around hoping to spend some time with her.

He had been concerned about letting her into the crowds, not so much that there was danger but since she had been stuck in a tower for eighteen years with only one other person and a chameleon; she might be afraid of all the people. However, she had been surprisingly adept at dealing with all the people she was meeting now. There were hundreds in this square alone and she was trying to meet each one. The royal couple was doing the same. The king too, looked so much better, almost young again. 

It was a good thing the princess was ...well, a princess. People wanted to be close to her but they were gentle to her. The Lock Maids and Guards had told him of the injuries she was coping with. The maids had altered one of the queen’s summer dresses with long sleeves that had cuffs that covered even the backs of her hands so the bruises wouldn’t show and distract people. Though he already had a report that the grape vine knew about it in general terms. At least they reported that the kidnapper had caused it, which was good enough.

Flynn... Eugene had a crowd of screaming girls around him and the palace guards were trying to deal with the onslaught of estrogen and fainting. There were a lot of grumpy-looking parents over there. That could be an issue. He could see the King and Queen sneaking contemplative looks at the thief. Captain Taygon gestured to Sergeant Gabriel to stand between Eugene and the parents to keep things from boiling over.

The spontaneous outbreaks of dancing had been… odd. They had been out here for 2 hours and there had already been 3 sets of dancing. His men were disciplined enough not to get caught up in it, like some of the guards, but there was a certain pull to it all.

Something brought his attention back to his charge. The Princess was now talking to a portly old man, but something about the rhythm of her speech caught his attention. It had changed, she was talking more quickly and slightly slurred. Wait, had she eaten something and been poisoned? No, not poison, it was too familiar, but it was eluding him. 

“Oh, now I remember.” A wry smile formed on his face.

Captain Taygon approached the King. “Sire, I suggest that we return the Princess to the palace.”

“What, is something wrong, is she in danger?” Her father looked around and then to his daughter.

“No, sire, not exactly. But your daughter is beginning to sound like my 4-year-old daughter; just before she throws a crying fit and falls asleep. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise as this is only the fourth day she’s been out of the tower, meeting all these people is overwhelming, even if she doesn’t recognize it. She also hasn’t caught up on her sleep yet.”

“Heh, true enough. I haven’t been out this much for too long, and it is tiring.” Turning to his daughter he said. “Rapunzel, let’s go back to the palace. We need to hear more of your story.”

Rapunzel turned to him, cocking her hip looking like she would argue, but even she noticed her massive eyes had a hard time focusing, and she had swayed a bit in turning. After a slow blink, she bowed her head and say “Yes, papa.”

Putting his arm around her, he said, “Good girl, thank you. We’ll come see them more a little later. Tell me more about what happened after you left the Snuggly Ducking.”

“Oh, I was so proud of myself, I got a whole room full of ruffians and thugs to let us go, I even gave Hookhand a kiss for being such a sweet man and showing us the secret passage.” Rapunzel started speaking at high speed.

They gathered the Queen and Eugene and waving to the cheering crowd from the balcony one more time; they entered the palace. 

“It was amazing. I wanted to know more about Eugene but he asked me a very hard question, but then the guards came running behind us and we had to run.” said Rapunzel.

“The secret passage came out under the dam,” mentioned Eugene, taking over the story now as Rapunzel gave a large yawn as they entered a sitting room in the private residence wing of the palace, that had several comfortable couches. Four Lock Guards deployed outside the doors and a Lock Maid in the room for the comfort of the royals.

“We were cut off by the Stabbington brothers below us, four palace guards and Max behind us. So what does your amazing daughter do, but gives me her frying pan, whips her hair around a beam and swings off to safety.” Eugene swept his arms out.

They sat down, Rapunzel and her papa on a sofa, his arm around his beloved daughter. Eugene and the queen across on another small cream colored sofa with a boat motif.

“I gotta admit, I felt a little betrayed by that, she’s all safe and all I got was a frying pan. The Captain of the Guard threw down his torch and pulled out his sword. I was really worried, I mean, a frying pan vs. a sword, come on, and he was out for blood. But he just lunged at me, I was able to parry his lunge because the frying pan is so big and then his face is right there on top of the frying pan that I whacked him upside the head with it on the backstroke.” Eugene face changed from worried to excited.

“All of the guards come at my pretty much the same way and they went down so easy, a frying pan is a great weapon. I was feeling really good about myself, taking out four palace guards with just a frying pan. Then Max picks up a sword with his mouth. Max is really strong so I have to scramble to just to hold him off; he’s pushing me all over the cliff trying to get me. Sword fighting a horse with a frying pan was the strangest thing I had ever done.” Eugene was posed like he had the frying pan in his hand.

“I was doing pretty well, until he knocked the frying pan out of my hand. Then Rapunzel used her hair to grab me and swing me to safety, she even pulled on it enough to get over the Stabbington brothers, I was so happy, that I was mocking them and wasn’t watching where I was going and slammed into the sluiceway.” Eugene grabbed his stomach.

“Then Max knocked down a support beam to get to Rapunzel, I still had the end of her hair in my hand so I called to her to jump. And she didn’t just jump but ran and flew like an angel, I held that hair as tightly as I could so she wouldn’t drop. When she landed, she was near the Stabbington brothers so I knocked apart the sluiceway to slow them down. Just as I hit the ground and started picking up Rapunzel’s trailing hair so we could outrun everyone, the dam broke and then everyone was just trying to outrun the water.” Eugene’s arms were pumping.

“There was only one mine entrance close enough to get too, and it was getting more urgent as the water had broke a rock tower, I could hear it coming and we could see the shadow bearing down on us. We made it and there was the frying pan which I grabbed just as the rock sealed us in. But then the water started coming in. I tried searching under the water for an exit but it was pitch-black, I couldn’t see a thing.” He had his hand in front of his eyes. 

“I wanted to get out, but I didn’t want Rapunzel to die either, I was beginning to like her and she really didn’t deserve to drown in an old mine her first day out of her tower. She was crying about how it was her fault. And the only thing I could think to give her was my real name. It was the only thing I had anymore.” He looked at his hands in his lap.

“Then she told me her hair glowed when she sings. I was wondering if she was going nuts. She started singing just as the water closed in over our heads. I had my eyes closed, praying for a miracle and then there was one - light. A warm golden light pressing on my eyes.” His hands were in front of his face, his fingers pushing towards his eyes.

“I opened them and saw her hair glowing, looking down the length of it we saw a loop of it being pulling into some rocks, it was a way out, we dug as quickly as we could and I was able to get an arm out and then all the rocks broke loose and we were swept out of the mine into the river.” He swept his arms out in a dramatic gesture.

“Oh, that’s amazing,” said the Queen, entranced. Eugene was a great storyteller. Queen Rebecca turned and then she saw her daughter’s head flopped over onto her husband’s shoulder, lightly snoring and a gentle smile on her husband’s face.


	36. Young Rapunzel Takes Her Painting To The Next Level

Gothel enjoyed being young very much, being able to move easily, to hear her warm throaty voice, but there was one part of being a young woman again that was annoying, that the hair couldn’t cure; that it caused actually, and she was suffering through the cramps with less then good grace today. She would have to go out to replenish her herbs. A nice herbal tea to soothe the cramps would be just the thing.

Gothel did appreciate the many little paintings that Rapunzel had made on the bathroom walls, it made the time go easier as she thought of stories that might go with them. They distracted her from the pain.

Teaching Rapunzel to read had been a risk, but she was asking so many questions and needed so many activities, she had finally taught her, just to get some respite from all the questions, questions, questions.

Rapunzel had taken hold of the stories and painted little scenes everywhere. Now she was working on a mural that spanned the whole lower level of the tower.

Gothel had let Rapunzel draw on the walls; the tower wasn’t really hers and so she didn’t really care what Rapunzel did to it. It kept her entertained and quiet, and they really did brighten up the place. 

It had been about twelve years since she had taken Rapunzel and she was doing wonderful things to the tower to make it nicer. Gothel did like the paintings and used the paints as rewards and punishments to keep Rapunzel in line.

Gothel was wondering what Rapunzel would do, she had just finished up in the last area she could reach, even standing on her green chair and was gazing intently around the room, as Gothel had gone into the bathroom, “I wonder if she’ll paint over what she’d done before,” though Rapunzel had not ever covered over even her earliest work over by the fireplace.

Gothel walked out of the bathroom and looked around; the painting looked done. The level of detail Rapunzel put into them was amazing, something Gothel had never seen in all her centuries of life. Though sometimes she wondered why Rapunzel never painted a picture of her on the wall. Rapunzel had several of herself.

But where was Rapunzel? Gothel turned around looking for her flower. Gothel hated it when Rapunzel was out of sight, she had to protect her flower.

Gothel heard a scratching sound above her. She looked up and her heart leaped to her throat.

Rapunzel was hanging wildly over the side of a rafter painting a flower! She had wrapped her precious hair around another rafter and held it in her other hand to keep herself from falling.

“Rapunzel! What are you doing!?” Gothel shrieked.

“Eek.” Rapunzel jumped, and accidentally let go of her hair. No longer holding her hair, she fell straight down, arms windmilling, and belly flopped onto the tile floor with a heavy thud. The only sound was the hair slithering through the rafters and down, landing in a loose pile on top of its owner, covering her body completely except for one bare, still foot.

Gothel let out a tiny whimper like a stepped-on mouse. “I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead,” thought Gothel, rigid with fear. “I’m dead because a foolish Flower ran out of space to paint. I’m dead, I died, I’m dead,” she stood there frozen, her mouth open in shock. She had seen Rapunzel land on her knees and face as she splatted onto the floor.

There was a pained gasp, a low moan, and the toes curled. Then faintly she heard in thick, labored tones a very familiar song, “Flower, gleam and glow…” The pile of hair lit up like the sun, the voice got stronger and became normal as the incantation finished.

Rapunzel rolled over and sat up, swishing the hair aside and wiped the blood from her face and mouth. She looked up at Mother and quailed under that look.  
“Please, don’t freak out. I’m sorry, Mother, but you surprised me,” young Rapunzel begged, kneeling on the floor.

“I surprised you!? How DARE you endanger yourself that way! You were hurt! You could have died! YOUR HAIR COULD HAVE BEEN CUT!” screeched Gothel, very loudly as cramps grasped her uterus.

On the mountain behind the tower, a pack of wolves began to twitch in pain from the grating screech that echoed up the canyon.

“I’m okay, Mother, please. Everything is fine, just the way it should be. Please, don’t be angry. I was just trying to make you happy by ‘brightening up the place’. You like my paintings don’t you, Mother, please,” young Rapunzel begged from the floor, throwing herself prostrate before Mother.

Gothel looked up from her pet’s prostrate position and saw the outline of another beautiful scene emerging on the wall. She calmed somewhat as the cramp faded.

She knew she could make Rapunzel promise not to paint any more, but that wouldn’t prevent her from doing something else dangerous in its place, she’d learned that the hard way. 

Not that Rapunzel was trying to do dangerous things, they just turned out that way sometimes. Having to release Rapunzel from a hastily made promise undermined her power over her.

From the way Rapunzel was prostrate on the floor, begging, she knew Rapunzel was expecting a lashing, but Gothel knew that she, herself had caused the accident. Rapunzel hadn’t hurt herself, not really, and didn’t deserve a lashing. Gothel didn’t think she could do that again, anyway, it had been far too brutal. 

Gothel had over-did it with that lashing, a few years ago; she had cried herself to sleep that night. Gothel had turned and had seen little Rapunzel standing there with the kitchen knife through her arm, Rapunzel holding the handle, it had been raining so long she was sure Rapunzel had been trying to kill herself. It had freaked her out. It was vital to keep her Flower safe, it was the only way for Gothel to survive. She had had to do something to guarantee that Rapunzel would never hurt her herself ever. 

She had recalled her father had given her a lashing over going into the barn unsupervised when she was a child, and after four hundred years she still remembered that, she never forgot the second time he did it when she forgot the rule and had gotten caught.

The Flower’s healing power had let Gothel be more brutal, so that after the healing Rapunzel would continue to remember, unlike herself. Gothel knew she had lost control in her panic and now the shame made her insides twist into a knot. She had kept an anxious eye on the clock, ready to intervene if Rapunzel lost consciousness. She had only relaxed after the time was up and Rapunzel had begun asking to heal herself. She had felt faint with relief when they had made it to the end. It had been too much really, but Rapunzel never did anything to hurt herself again and even the more daring things she did, she thought through first. That was good.

Gothel sighed. “You must learn to be more careful, pet, and you are going to have to be punished.”

“Yes, Mother,” said young Rapunzel in a small voice. She was shaking from fear.

“Your window is to be locked for two days.” Gothel stated firmly.

“Two days, Mother. I understand,” there was the sound of relief and gratitude in that voice, Rapunzel would miss talking to her bird friends; she still had Pascal, who was hiding in her room, but it was so much better then lashes.

“I love you, very much,” said Gothel, lifting young Rapunzel up and giving her a hug.

“I love you more,” said Rapunzel looking adoringly into Mother’s eyes.

“I love you most,” said Gothel to the hair with a kiss.


	37. The King and Eugene have a Talk

As King Leonard, Eugene and the other men left the princess’s quarters, many maids went in with bolts of cloth to begin the coronation gowns for the queen and princess. 

“Eugene,” said Leonard. 

Eugene looked up at him uncertainly. 

“We need to talk.”

Leonard almost felt sorry for him as Eugene hung his head like a guilty puppy and followed the king to the royal study.

Leonard sat behind his sturdy desk and spared a quick glance at the miniature portraits of his family. He was going to protect them this time.

“So, Eugene. What are we going to do with you?”

“I’m not sure, sir. I’ll do anything you want me to, as long as I can stay with Rapunzel.”

The King considered the man in front of him. His daughter called him Eugene Fitzherbert. The headmistresses of the orphanage knew a good boy under that name but he had transformed himself into Flynn Rider before leaving the orphanage forever. They had had a quick discussion after the medical evaluation of the Lost Princess. She had expressed regret over losing Eugene to Flynn. 

Flynn, the boldest and most brazen thief the kingdom had ever seen. With an extensive reputation among the women considering the girls that had been fawning over him at the introduction of the princess. Not to mention is exploits in that ballad of his.

Yet his gut told him that Eugene was a good guy. Eugene was gentle and considerate toward his daughter. Eugene had asked for justice to make up for what he had done. Eugene had escaped the prison with his best horse to save a girl he didn’t know was his daughter. Eugene had apparently died trying to save his daughter, the evidence of his cut and blood soaked clothes backed that up and his daughter had somehow saved him with magic. 

Leonard had seen the loving looks they shared, it seemed so true. Having his daughter scream out his name as she woke from nightmares told him she needed him in some deep and important way. 

He didn’t want Flynn Rider anywhere near his daughter, yet she desperately needed Eugene Fitzherbert. 

His head said, throw the miscreant into prison forever, but his gut said, give him a chance.

Well, now was Eugene’s chance.

Leonard leaned back, keeping watch on Eugene’s eyes, “You have the advantage over me, and as king I haven't had that in a long time.”

Eugene snorted in derision, and glanced around.

“Oh, yes, you do. You brought back the Lost Princess, that alone is worth half the kingdom and you haven't asked for a castle or even a pile of gold.” Leonard said, remembering what he and Hookhand had said Flynn wanted.

“You know a week ago had you offered me a castle I would have taken it. At the Snuggly Duckling we all confessed our deepest dreams to your daughter. I didn't want to, but a couple dozen thugs with swords have a way of making a point. So I did, there wasn't time to make a good lie so I went with the truth; to have a castle for the view, to be alone and have a big pile of money to be with. He was right, that dream stunk.” Eugene hung his head.

“Oh, and why is that?”

Eugene leaned forward and looked down between his boots. “Because I'd still be with the person I hated most.”

“And who is that?”

“Myself,” said the former thief, quietly.

“You hate yourself?” Leonard’s eyebrows raised into his hair. This is something he had never considered.

“I hated who I was, I hated Flynn Rider; a person I created after the image of a character from a book. Flynn Rider made getting out of the orphanage easier; he didn't have parents and he didn't need them either.” Eugene was looking right at Leonard and he could see the truth of it in Eugene’s eyes.

“The orphanage was hard, wasn't it?”

“Yes, no, it wasn't the orphanage.” Eugene shook his head, “Now, I appreciate what they were trying to do, but they aren't parents and it wasn't the same.”

“Did you know your parents?” Leonard asked kindly.

“No, not really, mother died in a cooking fire, father died after the ax slipped and bit into his leg. I was about six when that happened, but he was gone so much of the time trying to provide for me, I hardly knew him. There was no other family that anyone knew about; the one friend we had was too poor to care for me, too. So she brought me to the orphanage here.” Eugene’s eyes unfocused as he remembered.

# # #

“It’s gonna be okay, Henry,” said little Eugene Fitzherbert seriously to his small, shabby, brown teddy bear. 

“It’s gonna get better. Everything’s gonna be fine. We’re gonna be alright.” Daddy said those words a lot. The tears dripped down his cheeks even as he tried to be brave.

He didn’t like how the doctor was acting. It didn’t seem right. Like he had given up. 

Miss Annie from next door was looking so pale in her red dress, almost the color of her curly white hair. He liked her; she would watch him sometimes when mommy and daddy were busy. They worked really hard, but it never seemed to make a difference to daddy. He would be so sad, so often. 

Mommy helped so much and he went with her all the time, at least, until she went away when there was still snow on the ground. The fire was too hot, they said, but fire is hot, he knew that because he had burned himself on it. She was making stew and then the fire was on her and she was screaming. 

The trees were getting green leaves now and there was mud to play in, instead of snow. Things were supposed to get better now, Daddy had said so, but Eugene still had nightmares about what happened to Mommy.

Miss Annie was nice and the doctor was talking to her. Why were they shaking their heads so much?

Miss Annie was coming to him, her light grey eyes so sad.  
“Did Daddy go away too?”   
He could see the tears dripping down her face too, and she nodded. 

“I need to tell you something,” she said seriously, “The ax slipped and bit into your fathers leg. He didn’t get it clean enough and the infection got him. Eugene, I need to take you somewhere. A new place for you to stay.”

“Why? Doesn’t he love me anymore?” Tears filled his eyes as he looked at the cooling body of his daddy.

“No, no, no. He loves you very much, but he wasn’t strong enough to stay. You’re a good boy. I’m so sorry,” she reassured him, hugging him, tears on her cheeks again, crouching to be at his level, looking into his brown eyes with her light grey ones.

“I like you, can I stay with you?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t take care of you. I’m too poor,” her light grey eyes were so red and full of tears as she shook her head.

“What’s poor?”

“It means that I don’t have enough money to care of you and me, I’m so sorry. I like you too, so much.” She gave him a hug. “But I know a place that can care for you.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s in the kingdom. It’s called an orphanage, and they take care of children like you. I spent time there when I was a child. It’s a good place.”

“Like me?” little Eugene was confused, he was a good boy.

“Children who have lost their parents and need help.”

“Oh. Can I take Henry?” little Eugene asked, Henry was the last part of his family.

“Yes, and anything else you would like to take.”

Little Eugene blinked, then raced to his little pallet in the corner. There was only one thing left, he already had Henry under his arm in his blanket, Henry was a little cold today, and he was wearing his clothes. He shoved the rags back in the hole in the corner to keep out the cold and the rats, just like he was supposed to. He’d been remembering that really good lately, to help Daddy. 

Daddy had been telling him he’s a good boy, Eugene liked that a lot.   
Then he pulled his only book from under the tattered rags he used as a pillow, and hugged it to his chest. Daddy read it to him every night, except tonight, Daddy had been too weak to make dinner or read to him. That’s why he got Miss Annie. He was hungry too.

In the waning light, the cracked and tattered cover read: “The Tales of Flannigan Rider.” 

# # #

Eugene came back to the present.

Eugene had known a talk was coming with the King. That first night in the Green bedroom had been fitful, even though he was exhausted and he hadn’t slept the night before in the prison, worried for Rapunzel.

Eugene had sweated a lot while they had been in the Testing Chamber. He thought that it had been bad with the guards in the forest. Letting Rapunzel tell the story had been important, she was the Lost Princess, but that was assuming that the test could actually prove she was the Lost Princess. 

He had not made a big deal over the fact that he’d most likely die if she failed. She was under a lot of stress already, no need to make it worse for her. If she freaked out over him, she’d never pass the Test. Better to let her be herself. It had been an awful big risk. He died once that day, he didn’t fancy doing it again,if he could help it..

That the Test had nothing to do with what she said, but was about her hair, was a relief. 

What is it with women and their hair!? 

Next time he’d learn everything about the target. Not that there would ever be a next time, but still. 

At least, having a quick wash from the basin had gotten the worst of the sweat off before bed. He wondered if he’d ever get those clothes back. He’d have to get back to his place soon, before they tossed everything. Maybe the landlady had recognized him at the Jubilee yesterday and would be a little lenient about a late rent payment. His stuff was well hidden so should be safe, but he really wanted it now.

The Jubilee was wonderful, but now what?

“And you created Flynn Rider because…”

Eugene shrugged. “Because, I loved to read a book, “The Tales of Flannigan Rider” he led a life that was exciting and glamorous. Dad had read it to me every night before bed. Flannigan Rider was rich and had lots of friends. Totally and completely unlike poor, orphan Eugene Fitzherbert and the other kids. They liked it when I read it to them, I would dramatize it, play out the parts, I became him. He helped me deal with the bullies, the indifference, ...the pity and he made it easier to deal with the pain an orphan deals with.”

The King nodded. “The pain of knowing there should be someone in your life, but they are missing. Like dead parents or a kidnapped daughter.” The King said somberly. Eugene looked up and saw the pain in the King’s eyes.

“Yes.” Eugene was looking at the floor again. “And being passed over by people who could be new parents. To not be good enough in some way to have ...deserve... new parents. Those are bitter tears indeed, and we all cried them after we cheered those that did get new parents. But hope dies quickly in that place.”

“You can’t outrun something that’s inside you.” The King said gently, knowing how the death of hope feels.

“I know that, now.” Eugene had learned a lot from dying, there were things you took to the other side.

“So, now what?” asked the King, leaning forward.

Eugene thought about that and looked around the room. 

Flynn Rider was silently totaling up all the valuables he could see in the back of Eugene’s head. Rich food on gold plates, wine with gold and silver cups on the sideboard, swords and shields on the wall, books and maps in the bookcase, models of ships and a castle; there was even an open chest of gold, silver and jewels piled high in the corner. 

Yet Eugene considered them valueless and his eyes slid past them without note. 

There was a sketch in a little frame on one side of the desk. It was Rapunzel. His eyes lingered on her. 

He wasn’t much of an artist, but it looked like her, though it was done quickly: a few lines to define the face, another for the nose, some scribbles for the hair he had so desperately cut, some smudges for her kissable lips, but those eyes, who ever did it, truly captured those deep, wonderful eyes. 

The only thing of value in the world to him was Rapunzel. 

“My new dream,” he whispered.

“What?” asked the king, cocking his head.

“Rapunzel is my new dream. I just want to be the best husband and father for her and our children. I want them to have the love and happiness I never had, but that I feel for your daughter. No child deserves the kind of pain I grew up with. I would do whatever it takes. I know that Rapunzel is to become Queen someday and I know that I am not worthy of her, but I would do what I can to make sure she always feels the love she never got from the kidnapper.” Eugene said with determination.

“You say you are not worthy of my daughter, why is that?” The King asked, with a cocked head, watching him carefully.

“Because I am just a thief. I just wanted the crown back so I could sell it. I kept trying to scare her back to her tower. She kept saving my life, no matter what I did to her.” Eugene said miserably. 

“Didn’t you hold her hair so she could swing to safety at the dam?” Pressed the King.

“Yes, but…” Eugene tried to explain, it was more complicated then that, he wasn’t a good guy.

“Didn’t you dig the rocks out in the cave, as you were drowning?” The King stood up, speaking loudly, overriding Eugene’s explanation.

“Well, yeah, but…” he didn’t want to drown, saving her was a side-effect. She had showed him where to dig.

“Did you not confront the Stabbington brothers, alone, at night, on a lonely beach to give them a crown, just so you could keep Rapunzel safe?”

“Yes, but…” that hadn’t worked.

“Did you not break out of my prison and run away with my best horse to go rescue a girl? A girl, you did not know was the Lost Princess, just some girl who was in trouble, trapped in a tower by an old women who wanted her power for herself.” The King had come around his desk and was pressing closer to Eugene.

“Ah, yeah, but…” the horse had rescued him. Eugene was feeling trapped in the hard wooden chair with the high arms.

“When you were stabbed, did you not cut off her magic hair, which could have saved you, so she wouldn’t have to keep a terrible promise of staying with the Kidnapper, forever?” The King had put his hands of the arms of the chair.

“Yes, but…” he couldn’t save her anymore.

The King towered over Eugene now. 

“Did you not die, so Rapunzel could remain free?” The King roared.

“Yes, I did!” Eugene shouted back, trying somehow to defend himself.

The King raised his arms over his head. 

“How dare you say you are not worthy of my daughter!” the King thundered. 

And then he smiled.

“Ah! Wait, what?” said Eugene, cringed in his chair, totally confused.

The King knelt next to Eugene, and swept his arm around the room. “Look around you. This room is filled with treasures the likes of Flynn Rider always dreamed of, yet you had eyes only for my daughter.” The King gestured to the sketch on his desk. “When pressed your new dream is to be a loving husband and father to her and your children.”

Eugene’s head swam, this was happening too quickly. What had he said to the King? 

The King waited patiently.

“You mean it would be okay to stay?” Eugene asked in a confused voice.

King Leonard smiled gently and with a nod said, “Yes. Yes, it would by okay.” 

He held up a hand. “I am inclined to trust you a little bit now. For some reason my daughter needs you. I can also see that you love each other. I am willing to give you a chance. You may stay in the room you are now, you will no longer be guarded, but you will have a bodyguard. It would make Rapunzel unhappy if someone did something to you.”

“Yeah, not to mention how I would feel,” said Eugene, shakily and the King smiled.   
“The ones I’m worried about are the Stabbington brothers, they tend to hold grudges. I didn’t see them at the Jubilee and not knowing what they are up to is giving me the creeps.”

The King frowned. “Yes, them. I am expecting the Captain of the Guard to report on them, he should be back by now. I think I want to know what happened to them, too.” 

King Leonard stood and strode to the door.

Eugene stood more slowly, he was feeling a little shaky after that interview with the King, he was still a little unsure of what happened just now, but he would gladly take the chance to remain near Rapunzel, what could be better? A big pile of gold, quipped Flynn Rider.

He gently touched the sketch of Rapunzel on the desk, he now saw next to it that there was a small painting of the queen and baby Rapunzel. The King really did know what was important. Bemused, he also left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Untharius has been helping me by betaing this and I really reworked this chapter to include the flashback since it fits in here better.
> 
> You knew this little talk was coming. This was Eugene’s first big test with the King. Who is Eugene Fitzherbert and can he be trusted?  
> Eugene is quite complex. You can see Eugene peek out from time to time in the movie and he is so different from Flynn. He finally takes control in the little boat and he seems like such a good boy.   
> One question I had, was if he always had superhuman good looks, why did no one ever adopt him? Well, he needed to be the kind of person that would climb a hidden tower.
> 
> For some reason this always brings tears to my eyes. It’s been so hard to edit.  
> The really strange part was that I created a quick 5 minute sketch of this for C5SysEngFTS as backstory for Eugene, but he ended up not using it, which is fine, but it was just too powerful to leave unused. Eugene was bugging me about it, Rapunzel was getting all kinds of backstory, what about him.
> 
> So I began fleshing it out, I needed a character to take Eugene to the orphanage. And who walks into my mind but Little Orphan Annie, herself, volunteering.   
> That’ll be my job, she tells me.   
> You’re a little young.   
> Age me up.  
> Your hair will have to be white.  
> That’s okay, she says with quiet dignity, I have to do this.  
> I’ll give you real eyes.  
> Thank you.  
> No, thank you.


	38. Eugene and the Captain of the Guard

The Captain of the Palace Guard, Charles Forester, strode into the palace. He knew he had missed some big announcement yesterday, and it must have been a very big deal indeed as the people were still dancing in the streets; that had been very odd. He’d go to his office right after reporting to the King to catch up.

Escorting the Stabbington brothers had been a lot of fun, he smirked. It had even cleared up his headache. He was feeling pretty good today.

Captain Forrester walked down the cream colored corridor to the King’s study, his mud splattered boots thudding on smooth marble tile. Much as he enjoyed being Captain of the Guard; being out in the forest was more fun, and now he had to report to the King as quickly as possible, he didn’t want to let down his king. 

There was a lot going on right now, and he desperately wanted to find Rider. He had been in the palace, again! Hiding behind a false princess, this time. Did Flynn’s vileness know no lower bound? Then everything had gone crazy as it was the real Lost Princess. 

Last he heard, Rider was gone, again! 

The man had gone from significant nuisance to Corona’s second most wanted criminal in a matter of days. As Captain he generally didn’t have to deal with thieves, but stealing the Crown of the Lost Princess from right under the noses of his guards had been too much!

Seeing the King standing in front of the empty pedestal, a few quiet tears running into his beard, waving him off after he had apologized. He had never felt more a failure in his entire life. He would have rather have the King run him through with his own sword then disappoint him ever again.

He had personally led the chase, and had almost got him when Rider had knocked him off Maximus and disappeared. How did that Rider keep doing that?

He had continued on foot, linking up with the men he had left with the Stabbington brothers. Then he had gotten a tip that Rider was at the Snuggly Duckling and Maximus had shown them the passage. Maximus was a great horse, the best he’d ever had. 

He had gotten separated from Max again, after the dam broke, and was hoping Max made it, the rest of his men had, but it had taken time to find them all, hopefully Max would make it back to the palace soon. They hadn’t gotten back to the palace until after the lantern ceremony. Then he learned Conli had lost the Stabbington brothers, was nothing going right in the kingdom anymore? He was putting Conli on Kitchen Police duty and have him muck out the stables for few months when Max brought them in himself. What a great horse!

Loosing that fight with Rider was embarrassing as well, how had he done that with only a frying pan? 

That blonde girl with that hair, she must be his new accomplice. He gotten a pretty good look at her, he’d go to the sketch artist later today to make up some wanted posters. She’d be easy to find, even if Rider wasn’t.

That Rider! 

They had had him! Captured on the docks with the crown and he personally was making sure he faced the gallows and what happened? A prison break! Rider had escaped again, on his own horse again! The gall of that thief!  
However, they had captured the whole Snuggly Duckling gang, which mollified him somewhat. He had sent all the men and horses he could spare to follow the trail.

But he had to do something about that Rider!

“Escorting” the Stabbington brothers had been satisfying, and as the King himself had asked him to deal with them, he did. Had been glad too, really. Having them get away after having captured them was an insult and not to be tolerated. Then it had been revealed that they were kidnappers. He could not abide kidnappers, the King had been far more merciful then he would have been.

The King came out of his study, saw him, smiled and hailed him, “Good morning Captain, just that man I was looking for.”

“Excellent, your Majesty,” he boomed with a grin, as he approached his king, feeling like he had finally done something good for the King. Captain Forester came to attention before his king.

“At ease, Captain. How did that little adventure of yours work out?”

Just then a man came out of the King’s study. The captain’s eyes flicked to him and then back to the King. He opened his mouth, to recount what had happened, when his memory nudged him. The Captain of the Palace Guard looked back.

“Rider? RIDER!” Captain Forester shouted, drawing his curved saber. 

“Look out, your Majesty!” Charles pushed his king to the side to defend him against the infamous thief.

Captain Forester saw Rider crouch defensively. 

The King bellowed, “Captain! Stand down! Eugene! Stay!” 

Everyone stopped.

The Captain looked at his King, but kept glancing back at Rider. “But, sire, do you know who this man is?”  
Flynn Rider kept looking from the King to the Captain.

“Yes, Captain, I do! I said, Stand Down!” the King thundered. Charles lowered his sword.

“But, sire…” began the Captain of the Guard, torn between wanting to obey his king and capturing Flynn Rider. He slowly sheathed his sword, though he would gladly pull it out again.

“I know, you’ve been chasing Flynn Rider rather intensely the last few days, but this man is no longer Flynn Rider. This is Eugene Fitzherbert, the man that Flynn Rider could never hope to match. He died saving my daughter’s freedom and he didn’t even know that she was the Lost Princess at the time, she was just a girl in trouble that needed to be rescued. Do you think Flynn Rider would do that?”

“Um, no sire.” The Captain was still gazing at Rider.

“Flynn Rider died, that is enough. Eugene Fitzherbert is not the same man. It is over! Did I not make myself clear yesterday!”

The Captain gave his King a look, “I wasn’t here yesterday; remember? You sent me and my men off to encourage the Stabbington brothers on their run. I just got back.”

The King cocked his head. “Oh, right. I was wondering what was taking so long, things have been moving so fast lately.”

“Very well sire, do you still want a report on the Stabbington Brothers?”

“Yes, I was just looking for you about that.”

Eugene walked up and stood behind the King and asked, “So what happened to them? I didn’t see them leave the prison yesterday, and I don’t fancy keeping an eye out for them for the rest of my life.”

The Captain looked at Eugene, and then to the King, who nodded, wanting the same answer about them.

“Oh, they left the prison alright, a little earlier then the other prisoners. The King gave them a simple choice: die right there or make a run for the border. They went for a run. The king put quite the price on their heads and let some men and I “escort” them to make sure they didn’t stop. They actually did run the whole way. You were right sire, you can make it to the border before sundown.”

“Ah, so they taste freedom then,” said the King, looking melancholy about their making it. Eugene started to look worried.

“Well, I don’t know about freedom, but they did taste dirt.” The Captain said with a straight face.

“Dirt?” The King and Eugene said together, confused.

“They did make it to the border just as the sun set and as they passed the border marker they fell face down; they were dead. We buried them on the other side, just so they could be free. I sent an apology to King Stefan for the border violation.”

“That was very nice of you, Captain. Good work. Very good.” The King said, smiling, his mind at ease. Eugene relaxed too. Captain Forester’s heart swelled with pride.

“Many things have happened since you left, go talk to Mortimer, it will take some time to bring you up to speed. I’ve got to meet some people and spend time with my daughter,” the King smiled. 

The Captain of the Guard hadn’t seen the King smile in a very long time and that made him happy too. He’d do his best for the king.

“I’ll get right on it, sire. Thank you.”


	39. Eugene and Rapunzel’s Auditory Nightmare

Eugene Fitzherbert snapped awake to the sound of his name being called. “Rapunzel?” he murmured. Before he was even aware of it; he had flung away the soft, warm covers of his bed in the Green bedroom and ripped open the door and ran into the hallway; completely oblivious to the guards, who were running down the corridor too.

“Eugene!” It was Rapunzel, it was a call filled with despair, it was the kind of call he would climb from his own grave to answer. He saw the king’s robe whip into Rapunzel’s room. As his bare feet slapped the cold stone floor; he wondered why was he running so slowly? 

“Rapunzel!” He called back to let her know he was coming as he raced past the royal apartment. He need to be there for her.

“Eugene!” He could hear how his name tore at her throat, the tears and now sobs that came behind his own name. His bare feet squeaked against the smooth stone floor as he tried to slow down enough to make the turn into Rapunzel’s room, catching himself against the door. Her room was filled with guards with swords out, a maid, and her parents while she struggled to get herself free from the covers.

“Rapunzel, I’m here.” He called, standing just inside the door, some guards blocking his approach. 

She wrenched herself free of her bed and her parents and threw herself at him. He expected to catch her in a hug, but instead caught the air above her as she ripped open his shirt and her hands explored the spot where the knife had gone in. Then she grabbing him by the collar, pulled him down and kissed him. Putting her arms around him and gave him in a rib-cracking hug. 

Where ever did she get so strong? 

He closed his arms around her, enveloping her in his love. “It’s okay, Rapunzel. I’m here, you’re safe now.” He felt her tears on his chest, but all he wanted was for her to feel his love.

Feeling eyes on him, he looked up. The queen looked shocked and the king scowled at him. The guards had their swords pointed at him and even the maid had her hands on her hips looking like they were gripping something. 

Then he remembered; she had ripped his shirt open. He felt uncomfortable, but wasn’t going to break the embrace until Rapunzel herself let go. 

“Another nightmare I take it?” He felt her nod. 

“Was I dying again?” He felt her shake her head. 

“It was just a sound, the sound of Mother’s knife plunging into you, over and over again, getting louder and louder.” Rapunzel shivered against him, hugging him tightly again. Eugene felt his skin crawl where that wound had been, that had hurt, a lot.

He rubbed his cheek against her chestnut brown hair, a twinge of guilt for having cut it without permission, but he held her tight and would do so forever if needed. He started kneading her shoulders and gave her comforting words as she squirmed and made “ah, ah, ah” sounds as her shoulders began to relax under his touch. 

The king gave a nod and the guards put away their weapons, but their eyes were still hard.

Eventually, Rapunzel stopped shivering and let go, wiping her eyes with her hands and giving him a brave smile.

The maid with the crossed apron strings was explaining to the Queen that she had brought rosemary tea to help ease the princess’s nightmares. Eugene used the distraction to button up his shirt as the butler helped him into his robe. 

The memory of her hot little hands exploring his body burned on his skin.


	40. Setting Up Quiet Time

Queen Rebecca found her daughter Princess Rapunzel wearing her lavender tower dress, in the palace garden, sitting on a stone bench, leaning on a tree, looking at the mainland. 

“How are you, dear?” She was concerned, Rapunzel looks so tired and it was still morning. They had introduced Rapunzel to her staff and bodyguards and it was getting time to meet… some more people, the queen wasn’t exactly sure who was next.

“Hello, mama. Just resting,” said the princess Rapunzel.

“That’s good. You’re meeting a lot of new people, and it’s tiring for me sometimes. I come here to rest, too, when I feel overwhelmed by it all.” Rebecca moved behind her daughter and began to rub her shoulders. Rapunzel moaned as her mama worked some of the hard knots out of her shoulders.

Princess Rapunzel gave her a faint smile. “Thank you. Mama, how do you remember them all? There are so many persons.”

Queen Rebecca smiles gently and looks around to make sure they are alone, and leans in. “I don’t. Not to say I don’t try to learn people’s names and faces, but right now, so many people are trying to meet you, you don’t have to try to remember them all. I’ll point out the really important ones, though.”

“Okay. Thank you, mama. It’s not easy being a princess.” Rapunzel smiled a little sadly, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the tree, she felt so overwhelmed all the time now, nothing was as it used to be and she didn’t know what to do with herself. She didn’t even need to clean her room. It felt so strange not to have to dust, sweep and mop in the mornings, but she did make her bed. It was something comforting to do.

She had a staff, all those persons dedicated to making her life easier and safer. She had no idea how to handle that, at all. What does she need with a staff?

“No, it isn’t, or being a queen, but you are doing fine.” The mother reassured the daughter.

“Mama, the staff were looking at my wrists. I think they were trying to not look but their eyes kept looking at my bruises. It made me feel like I did a bad. I didn’t, did I?” Asked Rapunzel quietly, covering one of her blackened wrists with her hand, because she couldn’t find a good way to cover them in her tower dress, the sleeves were too short.

“No. You didn’t do anything bad. You did good. You got hurt, that happens when you fight. They are just very concerned about you and don’t like to see you hurt. That is why I had you tell them what happened in the tower so they know where they came from. That is why they are altering the dark blue dress with the long sleeves. It’s really a winter dress but it will cover your bruises. They are already working on new sleeves for the pink dress; that is a lot lighter and won’t be so hot, but it will take a few hours to have it ready. You’ll be fine.”

“I don’t feel fine. They all say they love me, but they don’t know me. They’ve never met me before. How can they say that?” Rapunzel looked back at her mama, someone she is trying to love like she did Mother, who betrayed her so utterly. Love felt so messed up inside her right now. So many lies got mixed up with her love.

“Well, they love what you represent. You are their hope for the future. Stability to the kingdom. A continuation of the monarchy.”

“Oh. I’m more of an idea to them then a person.” Rapunzel, bit her pink lip, and looked a little sad about that.

“No, you are a person with a big idea attached to her.”

“Your Majesty, your Highness, its almost time to meet the ship building guilds,” said Mortimer the Seneschal, coming up the grey flagstones. 

The queen helps up the princess, who struggles a little. 

“Are you alright?” Mama asks, concerned about her baby.

“I don’t know anymore, mama. I am so tired, the nightmares are not helping.” Rapunzel says tiredly.

“No, they’re not. I’m tired because of them too. I don’t usually get up quite that early, normally.” 

“Mama, I’m so tired all the time now. I can’t seem to sleep at all now without waking up with a screaming nightmare. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I left my Tower. Even naps end in nightmares, or would that be napmares?” Asked Rapunzel with a puzzled look on her face. 

Rebecca smiled, “I don’t know, but that is a good word for it. You went through such terrible things. I think this is your way of trying to deal with all the things you’ve gone through.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t seem like a good way of doing it. Thank you, though, for coming and comforting me after them, that does feel really good.”

“You’re welcome. We’ll always be there for you. You are my sunshine.”

“You warm my soul.” Mama and daughter hug tightly. They used words that reminded them of love, alternatives that didn’t hurt, it was awkward, but they would work through this.

The queen has a thought. “Mortimer, can you open up some quiet time in the afternoon?”

“Of course, your Majesty,” Mortimer said, it would mess everything up again, people would rant and yell especially the head of the ship builders guild, but the royal family will get some rest. He had heard of the nightmares that plagued the princess. He thought he’d better schedule the quiet time in for the princess until they abated. 

No, he’d schedule quiet time for the whole family until further notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I realize that Rapunzel has to be an introvert, an extreme one at that. It would be the only way she could survive being almost completely alone for all those years. Introverts energize themselves by having time for quiet contemplation and deep thought. Something she had in abundance in the tower. Not that she can’t be social, but she doesn’t know how to handle the sheer mass of people yet.  
> Had she been an extrovert, someone needing to be around others, she would have gone insane, which would have been bad. Just imagine putting Tiana in the Tower.  
> For her being an introvert was good but has downsides too.   
> Meeting dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of people at a time is a big drain on her.   
> She needs to learn her limits and learn how to do things she never has before.


	41. The Mantra

“I see such a beautiful, confident young lady,” said Queen Rebecca, smiling and gently holding her newly returned home daughter’s hands, as the stood in front of the big stand mirror. 

They were getting ready to meet another group of important people, the navy, she though she remembered, things had been moving so quickly, it was hard to keep up with it all. Mortimer will tell them who, as they go there. She would make sure to point out who were the most important people in the group so Rapunzel could focus on them.

Rebecca thought the seamstresses had done a fine job getting the blue dress fitted so quickly. Not that her daughter’s lavender dress from the tower was bad or anything, the embroidery her daughter had done on it was stunning, the seamstresses were cooing over it all, though it was a little worse for wear from the adventures. It just wasn’t quite up to impressing the nobles and it didn’t cover her bruises. The bruises were very distracting to everyone and embarrassing to Rapunzel, they were quite lurid and multicolored now, covering the backs of her hand and halfway up her arms, but covering them was something they could do.

Rebecca could see her daughter bit her pink lip, looking like she was expecting something. Were those tears forming in her daughter’s eyes? Rebecca squeezed her daughter’s hands gently to encourage her daughter to say what was bothering her.

“Please, just say it. Get it over with, please,” Rapunzel begged her Mama.

“Say what?” asked Rebecca confused, the smile dropping off of her face, having no idea what her daughter was talking about.

“‘Oh look, you’re here too.’” Rapunzel blurted, as tears began to run down her face, she looked so lost and broken.

After a second of running through what they had just said in her mind, Rebecca’s mouth dropped open, as she comprehended what that means and what she had said meant to her beloved daughter.

“What!? No! I am talking to you, about you! You are those things,” Rebecca wanted to take her weeping daughter into her arms, but Rapunzel held her hands tightly, holding her mama off.

“No, I’m not. I’m sloppy, underdressed, immature, clumsy, gullible, naïve, grubby, ditzy, vague, and-and chubby,” cried Rapunzel.

“No! You are none of those things! You are pretty and beautiful! You are smart and wonderful! You are my sunshine,” said Rapunzel’s mama, fiercely. Ripping her hands free and hugging her beloved daughter as close to her as possible.

Rebecca’s face hurt, from clenching her teeth. They kept learning things like this, her daughter’s life had been so filled with small cruelties, which made simple compliments and conversation so hard.   
Her baby even wanted them to use the name the Kidnapper have given her and it was the name of a radish!? 

Rebecca felt her daughter tentatively put her arms around her and her head on her shoulder.

There wasn’t time to go to her library, her screaming place, before the meeting. How she loathed the Kidnapper!

# # #

After meeting with the shipwright guild and settling Rapunzel in for some quiet time, Queen Rebecca asked King Leonard to come to her private library. He had had a few things to do first, he was trying to fix a number of things that he had let break down during his reign, but was soon knocking on the door. 

Leonard knew the queen’s library was her personal space for thinking and pondering the hard questions, much like he used his study. He suspected she also used it to cry in too. He was worried about that, she had been crying a lot, now that their daughter was home. At least now they were happy tears when they slept, since their baby was home.

He was somehow feeling much better, just losing the weight of not knowing helped so much, and knowing she was good was fantastic. There was hope for the future of their kingdom now. He was now seeing things that he had been so blind to, before.

He was spending lots of time fixing things he had let slide or hadn’t looked at too closely. That there was corruption in the kingdom was no great surprise, he thought he had it under control, but that the head of charitable contributions was skimming so much that it was effecting the widows and orphans; was unacceptable! He had the letter of resignation in his pocket and the person was being escorted to the border. Seizure of assets and banishment was the worst allowable punishment. He had felt like going to his secret file for that one, but he didn’t know where the key was.

He was a little angry at himself for letting things slide so far. He was a better king, a better person, then this. 

“Come in,” he heard through the door and so he walked in. 

He caught his weeping wife as she threw herself at him. He bumped the door closed with his foot as he wrapped loving arms around his dear wife. Something must have happened when she had gone to get Rapunzel for the meeting with the shipwrights. They had seemed fine for the meeting.

He was still trying to get his head around calling his daughter that. Who names a beautiful child after a radish?

He just held his beloved wife as she cried her heart out on his chest. After a few minutes her grip around him changed, he could feel her hands take the back of his robes into her fists and his eyebrows shot up as his dear wife started growling. 

That was ...new, but she soon dissolved into tears again, her hands flat on his back again, hugging him tight. He just held her, his eyes a little wide. There was no point in talking to her until she was ready, but that growling was disconcerting.

He looked around the small room, he was pretty sure it was a converted closet or something, even with the window. Over the centuries the palace had developed a number of odd nooks and crannies. She had moved things around, since the last time he was in here, it had been years. The bookcase at the far end was gone and in its place was a good-sized stone obelisk. She had a deep interest in history, so he wasn’t completely surprised by that.

The rug was gone, too, he noticed as she started to growl again.

There was a rather large pile of plain looking dishes on the small table, he wondered about that, there wasn’t all that much room in her library, there were only two chairs, and barely any room to get around them. There was no way to fit that many guests in here.

Finally, after some more crying, his elegant queen pulled away from him, grabbed him by the lapels and dragged him down for a kiss. 

To say that was unexpected would have been an understatement.

She broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. He could see deep into her massive, green eyes, where he saw: pain, sadness and iron determination. 

“I love you! We are all still alive, there is still hope. We will get through even this!” she fiercely stated their mantra, through gritted teeth. Words that had helped them keep going, through the dark times.

“I love her and I know she loves me, I see it in her eyes!” His beloved wife all but growled at him.

King Leonard had always wondered what the staff called his wife, he always thought her as Rebecca the Hopeful in years since the kidnapping, but now she was as fierce as a wolf on its kill. 

It was like having his bride back, he still remembered the apple she had knocked him off of his horse with.

“What happened?” he asked carefully.

“You remember me telling you that Eugene found that telling Rapunzel he loves her causes her pain. What he didn’t say, or probably know, is that there are other words that have been poisoned by the Kidnapper.”

“Uh oh, what now?” He asked cautiously, her hurried whispers telling him not to tell Rapunzel that they loved her, when they had finally been reunited with their lost daughter, had been like a punch directly to his heart.

Tears filled those deep green eyes. “She looked so ready to meet the shipwrights, she was looking so nice in the blue dress. I told her that she was a beautiful, confident young lady. The Kidnapper used that phrase as a put down. The pain in her eyes was awful.”

The mother of his little girl looked away in pain. She went over to the little table with the dishes and gripped the table tightly, holding herself up.  
“We can’t tell her we love her! We can’t even pay her a compliment! It’s like the Kidnapper poisoned language itself! How I hate that creature!” Queen Rebecca growled, lifting and slamming the table down a little; causing the plates to rattle.

“I understand, we always knew there would be issues, we’ve learned a lot about what happens to a kidnapped baby. Now we are living through it ourselves and we will get through even this.” King Leonard said seriously, to comfort the mother of his daughter, taking her into his arms again.

“Yes, yes we will. Thank you,” said the Queen regaining control, somewhat. She took some breaths, leaning back into his chest, putting her hands on the arms around her waist and felt of his calmness and relaxed a little.

“Are you going to be okay?” He asked.

“Yes, I think so. I think I’ll take some quiet time here,” but her eyes flicked to the pile of dishes.

“Now what was that about?” Thought the king.

“Okay, I’ll see you later, send for me if you need anything,” kissing her again and turned to the door.

“Yes, dear, thank you for coming. I needed that.”


	42. Little Rapunzel and the Big Thunderstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback to the Tower when Rapunzel and Gothel were caught in a bad thunderstorm.

KRAKABOOM!

Little, 5-year-old Rapunzel was slithering down the stairs from her room, on her bottom, in her little pink nightie, as fast as she could. She couldn’t see the stairs, the flash of lightning still overwhelmed her vision. She couldn’t hear the rustle of her dragging hair, the peal of thunder still echoed in her ears.

Little Rapunzel knew exactly where mommy slept and she didn’t need those senses to find her. She dashed past the kitchen to mommy’s nook, but mommy wasn’t there! She could feel the bed was empty. 

Mommy was gone! 

“Mommy!” Little Rapunzel cried in terror.

Little Rapunzel was so scared, she curled up in a little ball of fear on the floor next to mommy’s bed and began to cry, as another flash of lightning, and echoing peal of thunder lit up the tiny canyon.

# # #

Gothel had thrown herself from her bed, when the lightning had struck the tower itself. Gothel hadn’t planned on ending up somewhere in the middle of the floor in her blue nightgown. It just seemed like a good idea at the time, when she was still asleep, but now she didn’t know where she was in relation to anything else inside the tower.

She couldn’t see anything, but the red afterimage of the flash that had lit up the canyon.

“Rapunzel! Rapunzel!” Gothel shouted, but her ears rang so much she didn’t know if she could hear a reply even if there was one.

Gothel was worried about Rapunzel. Thunderstorms were bad enough in the forest. In the little canyon of the tower; they were terrifying. The light reflected off of the rock walls and the thunder echoed forever.

She was blinking her eyes to try to clear the streak of light that had overwhelmed her vision. Gothel had been asleep before the lightning had struck, but now she was as wide awake as was humanly possible.

Gothel needed to find Rapunzel, but on her knees, blind and deaf, in the middle of the floor; she was lost. She couldn’t see and didn’t know where the stairs were. She was groping at the floor desperately trying to find a clue as to where she was in the tiny tower, of even which way she was facing.

“Mommy.” Wait, was that Rapunzel? It sounded so faint or was it only because her ears rung so loudly? Gothel swung her head around trying to see or hear anything. “Rapunzel!” she screamed, trying to hear herself.

Flash!Bang! Another strike of lightning; on the edge of the canyon this time.

Gothel saw she near the window, which was closed and locked for the night. There was a ribbon of golden hair from the stairs to her bed. “Rapunzel!” 

Scrambling on all fours she felt the end of the golden hair and followed it toward her bed. Desperately trying to reach her most precious Flower.

Just as she reached the quivering mass of tears that was Rapunzel, there was another strike on the tower.

KRAKADOOM!

For an eternal, frozen, instant Gothel could see every detail of her room and the canyon outside the window etched in stark contrast on her retinas. Rapunzel threw her arms around Gothel’s neck and held on with all her strength.

FlaBang! Another lightning strike on the edge of the little canyon.

Gothel pushed off of her bed and scrambled to the middle of the floor, one arm around Rapunzel’s shaking body, the other pulling them away from the frightening view of the window. “It’s got to be safer here, doesn’t it?” she thought, desperately hoping for it to be true.

A roar began to overlay their ringing ears as the rain and hail came, that just added to the terror of the continuous lightning and thunder. Gothel could feel Rapunzel’s tears soaking through her nightshirt and her body quivering as she sobbed, but she couldn’t hear them, nature commanded their attention completely.

It was getting cold in the tower. The ice of the hail was sucking the heat out of the air. She didn’t dare go near the fierce light of the window for a blanket and lighting a fire would be impossible with Rapunzel clinging to her with all her strength.

Gothel’s eyes filled with tears. She had never been more afraid in her life. Not even Death’s arms around her waist scared her like this storm did. This was the worst thunderstorm ever. Would it never end? 

It had only been going on for two eternal minutes.

She got on her knees and repositioned herself so she could hold Rapunzel with both arms, and began to stroke and comfort the weeping child and herself.

“The hair!” Gothel realized. They had about 20 feet of hair to wrap themselves with. She quickly wrapped the hair around them, and it was a little warmer. Then she began to sing a desperate lullaby.

“Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine…” and as she sang a warm golden light filled the darkened tower and held back the terror of the terrible storm. And so they spent the night in the middle of the floor, singing to hold back the terror until the storm broke and the warm sun returned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few years ago we watched a terrible thunderstorm not far from us, it lit up the sky for over an hour, nearly constant lightning and thunder. Something like that over the canyon would have been terrifying beyond belief.


	43. Rapunzel and the Great Big Ocean

The King and Queen were showing Rapunzel and Eugene around the palace, as an attempt at an alternative to lonely quiet time. It was her home so she needed to have a tour. She had been telling them of what she did in the tower. 

Now, they were up in one of the towers, explaining her family history through a series of paintings hanging on the wall, when they realized that Rapunzel was no longer with them.

They saw her back a few steps, in front of a large window, she was just standing there, shivering, holding her arms out like she was trying to keep from falling.

Eugene ran back to her and caught her up in a hug. “Are you alright?” 

Her parents were right behind him, gathering her into a family hug, Papa holding them all.

“It’s. so. big.” She whispered, staring at the ocean.

Eugene turned and looked; it was a beautiful, clear day outside. The window faced away from land and it had a completely clear view of the ocean. The ocean was dark blue and still, the sky azure and cloudless. 

It was like looking into forever and it pulled at the soul.

“I’m sorry, but it is so much bigger then anything I’ve seen, except the night sky.” She continued to stare into the big blueness.

“Of course, I should have thought. That tower of yours is in a small canyon. It was only a few hundred feet across. Of course, you’re scared. Please, let’s get away from the window,” said Eugene turning.

“No, please, I’m not scared, I’m just not used to it yet. Thank you for holding me, it just felt like I was going to fall into it. It’s so beautiful,” Rapunzel’s voice was filled with wonder.

King Leonard put one arm around Rapunzel and the other around his wife and they just looked out the window. After a long moment he said, “I had forgotten that such simple beauty still existed.” 

Another long silence stretched out along the vista of the open ocean and sky.

“What’s happening down there?” Rapunzel was looking down and pointing.

“Those people are swimming,” said Eugene seeing a few people frolicking on a beach.

“What’s swimming?” Rapunzel asked, trying out the word on her tongue.

“If you’re going to become princess of a seafaring nation, you have got to learn how to swim, and this is a ‘first’ that your parents can help you with.” Eugene said with a wide grin. 

Both the king and queen got excited looks on their faces and the King dragged them all back to their rooms for a change of clothes before heading down to the beach. 

Being an excellent climber, it didn’t take Rapunzel long to get the basics of swimming. After a few pointers from the local pod of dolphins, she was splashing about with the best of them. 

Eugene would launch her up into the air so she could fly with the dolphins.

Even the king and queen joined in for the synchronized swimming sequence with the dolphins and several of the townsfolk. Mother and daughter soared with the dolphins, launched into the air by their loves, smiles on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel grew up in a tower in a small canyon, it looks to be 500 feet or so from the window to the cave entrance wall, that is so tiny as to be scary. But at some point she is going to see the sea in a spectacular way (say that 5 times fast). She isn’t agoraphobic or anything like that, not after studying the sky so intently. She has enough emotional land mines to deal with, but it would be a significant experience for her.
> 
> The dolphins are a very new kind of friend for Rapunzel. They’re really fun.


	44. Rapunzel and the Palace Library

“And this is the palace library. It isn’t the largest or most complete in the world, but we’re proud of it.” The king says expansively, opening the tall double doors inward. He had saved the best for last of the palace tour, for his beloved daughter. Mortimer had told them that she had enjoyed the library in the city. 

This one was much larger.

It’s a large two-story room. A painting of Prometheus stealing the fire of knowledge on the domed ceiling, the fennel in his hand and statues of the Muses hold up the second story balcony. There are comfortable looking chairs arranged in little groups and lines of desks near the stained glass windows. A labyrinth mosaic is centered under the dome, embedded in the floor. 

Books line shelf after shelf from tiled floor to domed ceiling, with rolling ladders to reach them all. 

The King and Queen entered first with a familiar look around, going up to the court librarian.  
Eugene followed, looking around appreciating the view with a low whistle.

Rapunzel took several slow steps into the room and stops under the dome; just turning in place to see the whole thing. Trying to absorb it all, to comprehend what she is seeing.

She had had only a bare handful of books her entire life. She had read them every day almost her whole life. Learned what they knew, memorized them, read them fast and slow, even backwards, twice a year. In many ways they were teachers and friends, but they always represented knowing. 

And she wanted to know so much.

Rapunzel continued to turn on her bare toes. If the view of the ocean had shown her how big the world could be, this room showed her just how big the world of knowledge could be. 

Powerful emotions welled up in her soul.

She began to pant, just the few meals she had so far had shown her that her cookbook was only a tiny glimpse into the knowledge of cooking. How many times did she want to stop and examine a real plant on their adventure to see the floating lights that she remembered from her botany book? How often did she have to just stop looking at rocks she knew from her Geology book, to make it to the floating lights? 

She continued to turn in place, her gaze sweeping past more and more books.

Tears began to flow, there was so much to learn and she wanted it all and it was hers. Anytime she wanted it. It was so big. Everywhere she looked there were books. Her books in the tower were as a drop of water in a pond, an ocean, that brand new massive thing. She wanted to know so much. Her adventure to see the floating lights showed her so many things she didn’t know. 

Her legs trembled. How much did she not know? Why did Mother not share? And she felt deep in her heart, if Mother had just brought her more books, even just one at a time, she would have stayed in the tower as her willing slave, forever!

Rapunzel collapsed in a sobbing heap on the floor. The King, Queen and Eugene threw themselves around her, gathering her into a massive family hug. 

“Are you okay!?” The king overrode everyone else’s questions.

“Yes,” Rapunzel sobbed, a smile on her face as she brought her tear-wetted face out of her hands. “It’s just so much. So wonderful, so beautiful, so full. Thank you. Thank you. I had only a tiny handful of books and I never knew that there were so many. So much to learn, I want to, so much. Thank you. This is the greatest gift ever. Thank you. You are my sunshine.” She hugged her papa tighter, her tears left on his cheek.

“You are my sunshine, too,” her papa replied, feeling less then sure of himself.

“Do you want some quiet time now, dear?” asked her mama, kindly, but worried. “You can come back later when you feel more like yourself.”

Rapunzel really didn’t want to leave. She really did want to know it all, to read them all. She looked up at all those books, and felt the powerful emotions beginning to well up uncontrollably again. 

She was going to read them all, someday! 

She looked down again, breathing hard, trying to control herself. “Yes, please, but can I take one book back to my room, please. Just one, please,” she begged.

“Of course, dear,” mama replied. This was her library as much as anyone’s. But the desperation in the voice of her begging baby tore at her heart.

“Eugene, I don’t think my legs can hold me up yet. Please, could you get me one, please, it doesn’t matter which one,” asked Princess Rapunzel, looking carefully at the floor, trying to get her mind and body under control again.

“Of course,” concern etched Eugene face. He sprung up, raced to the nearest bookshelf, grabbed a book at random and brought it back to his new dream. 

Her parents were helping her up, as she made sure to keep looking down, her legs shaking under her. They walked slowly and carefully to the door, where Rapunzel looked back and another thrill of desire shook her entire body as Eugene closed the doors. 

By the time they got to Rapunzel’s room, she could walk by herself again and she was hugging the precious book to her chest.

“We’ll see you in an hour, dear, try to get some rest.” Said Mama as they put her in bed.

“Yes, mama.” Rapunzel gave her mama a kiss and turned to the book, Pascal climbing onto her shoulder to see the new book.

# # # 

An hour later Queen Rebecca and the others peek into their daughter’s room. Rapunzel is asleep on her bed, the book open to the last page in her lap, Pascal on the pillow next to her, a queasy looking yellow, his mouth hanging open. Rebecca was wondering what was wrong with Pascal, but didn’t know anything about chameleons. 

Rapunzel began to twitch, pant and moan, so Mama quickly reached out and woke her beloved daughter from the nightmare, wondering if she would ever have a normal nights sleep or even nap again.

“Oh, thank you mama,” said Rapunzel as she woke with a jerk and Pascal shook himself and turned his normal green again.

“What was it this time?” asked her mama, hoping that talking about them would make them go away, they had been all different so far. The nightmares were beginning to concern her and her husband and Eugene too. How many could there be?

“We were being chased through the passage from the Snuggly Duckling and it was getting smaller, it was going to crush us.”

“I’m sorry. How are you feeling?”

“Better actually, I fell asleep after reading the book. It was all about trees in southern England.” 

“I made you a bookmark so you can find you place easily.” Rebecca held out a crocheted bookmark with a lavender tassel on it. Doing little creative projects helped her feel better too.

“Oh, thank you, it’s beautiful, but I finished it.” Rapunzel said as she closed the book. Rapunzel smiled, while she took the bookmark and put it on her side table on top of the book and began to get out of bed.

“You finished it?” her mama asked slowly, looking at the book. While it didn’t look like a thick book, and being about trees it probably had a good number of pictures in it, but she thought it would take more then an hour to read and still get some sleep. She looked to her husband, and then Eugene, both shrugged.

The queen pushed the thought aside, they needed to get ready to meet the barons.

“Okay, you men go outside and wait while Margaret and I get the princess ready.”

The men were shooed out by the queen as Margaret the maid came in, while Rapunzel was staring at herself in the mirror, slowly bringing her hand up to her short brown hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an aunt that visited from East Germany, a place stuck in the 1940’s she broke down crying like this in the cereal aisle of the supermarket. You know how that aisle is. In East Germany the typical supermarket was the size of a 7-11 and they had 2 cereals, 2 sodas, eggs were kept out at room temp, and only un-homogenized milk and cheese were refrigerated and not a whole lot of anything in any case. 
> 
> That Library overwhelmed Rapunzel. Rapunzel can also read really, really fast. She just scarfed down that book in about half an hour and Pascal was shocked, she had taken her time be the time Pascal got to the Tower. Watching Rapunzel read at full speed is more then a little scary.


	45. Gothel Nurses Baby Rapunzel

“Me, I’m just your mother, what do I know?

I only bathed and changed and nursed you.”

  - Gothel, Mother Knows Best, Tangled

 

“Come on, please. Please, come in.” Gothel was talking to her breasts. Pleading for milk to come in to feed the baby. She was in the padded red chair by the big window; the sun coming in, keeping them warm. The baby at her breast was working hard to get some milk to suck.

The baby was crying so much, great lung-emptying wails. Gothel knew the baby was hungry. Tears dripped down, tears of pain and frustration, off of her cheeks and onto her breasts.

The Flower had saved her from starvation during times of famine. She had eaten grass and mud, even bound her stomach with a rope, to stave off the hunger pangs that had threatened to debilitate her. She knew exactly what the baby was going through; they were so painful.

She had never had a baby of her own, she was waiting for Jonathan to come home and they would make wonderful babies together. The cries tore at her heart, and the baby cried all the time, hardly ever sleeping.

She had stolen a goat to provide milk, but she dared not do that again. The kingdom was swarming with people searching for blonde babies. She had had an encounter at the nearby pub with a search party, which had been far too close for comfort. She’d do anything to keep the baby. She had killed that guard, but escaping a dozen guards and all those thugs would have been …hard.

But that stupid goat died. How could it have died? They eat anything and can climb anywhere. The ground around the tower was full of good grass. There was even a tasty patch of rapunzel in one corner of the canyon.

Gothel did admit to herself that she wasn’t really all that good at managing animals. Bees; she did okay with. She sold honey and candles when she needed things she couldn’t make herself. 

Plants, on the other hand, she did well with. The forest was filled with food, if you knew where and when to look. The tower was a good place to hide, but the canyon couldn’t provide much food, too much shade and too rocky, though that patch of rapunzel was the best tasting she had ever found.

She was glad that there was something. She couldn’t leave the baby, and the baby screamed all the time, so they couldn’t leave the tower to search for more food. She needed to keep the Flower safe, and that meant keeping the baby alive. The tower was a little dark, but the plain white walls helped. They slept together in the upstairs bedroom since it was so much nicer then the lower bedroom.

For two weeks she’d been trying to give the baby suck. Something should have happened by now. The first time she opened her dress for the baby, it had been so embarrassing for some reason; now undoing the buttons filled her with dread.

If she could just get the baby fed and quiet she could start searching the forest for edibles and then transplant them closer to the tower. She would have a food forest in just a few months, if she were diligent.

“Ughnn,” Gothel grunted, the baby was sucking so hard, trying desperately to get some milk to eat. 

“ _By the Light, this baby can suck,_ ” she thought to herself. At least the baby hasn’t given up and neither would she. She had seen babes die, so many times. This one _had_ to live.

Using her pinky, Gothel popped the baby off of one breast, and while she screamed her little lungs empty, Gothel turned her to the other breast. Steeling herself, she let the baby latch on, gasping in pain as she did so, trying not to flinch or scream, like she so desperately wanted to.

Gothel was pretty sure that if you let a baby suck enough, the milk would come in, but she didn’t think it would take this long, or be so painful. She had sung the incantation every day to keep the baby healthy and alive, while they waited for the milk to come, but the flower couldn’t fix something that wasn’t broken. She had sung after trying for hours get milk, after the baby had gone to sleep from exhaustion, to heal her sore breasts.

They hurt so much!

Sobbing in frustration and pain Gothel finally threw her head back and screamed, “For the Light! Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine…” just to try and relieve the pain.

The hair glowed, the pain subsided and as she completed the song; wonder of wonders, her breasts began to express sweet, warm milk.

Weeping in relief, Gothel panted, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” 

The baby suckled, was fed and saved. She finally slept quietly for the night.


	46. The Queen Has a Rough Meal

“Mother would guilt me into doing things by saying she had bathed, changed and nursed me,“ commented Rapunzel, as they sat around the table eating a nice quiet dinner.

“She nursed you!?” King exclaimed. 

The Queen went pale and very still, her eyes locked onto her plate, gripping her utensils tightly.

“So she said, but I have no idea if it’s true or not. There is so much that she said that was a lie,” said Rapunzel sadly, looking down. Trying to hint at the terrible pain in her life: the lies. 

Her fork idly pushing around her herb-crusted chicken breast. She still wasn’t sure what a chicken was, though she knew eggs came from chicken. She didn't even know how an egg or a breast came from a chicken, but was too overwhelmed to ask the questions now, because she was afraid of all the answers and more questions it would lead to. She was getting tired of feeling so dumb all the time. It tasted good, but so different from what she always had at the tower. She hardly recognized any of the food some meals. Why did she miss the foods Mother had brought to the tower?

“Is that even possible?” the King asked. 

“Yes, it is, dear, that is how a wet nurse works. It isn’t easy, but you don’t need to have had a baby to produce milk,” said the Queen, tightly, putting her knife down very deliberately.

Rapunzel sat quietly and still and a little hunched over. She wanted to hide, again. Mama looked so angry, again. Rapunzel was a scared of Mama and how often she was angry. Mama looked like she gets really angry. She didn’t want to be Punished. She was sure Mama could come up with something even worse then lashes.

Pascal, in mauve, came up onto her shoulder to comfort her, after noticing her distress.

“That _officially_ creeps me out,” said Eugene, with a shiver.

“If you’d excuse me, please,” said the Queen, her jaw working hard. Without waiting for a response the Queen stood and glided away with all the regalness she could muster, as everyone watched.

They continued eating quietly and after several minutes, the Queen returned, her eyes red.

“Are you all right, dear?” asked the King, carefully.

He knew that she spends a rather large amount of time crying lately. She had disappeared from time to time during the day lately, but this was the first time she had ever left in the middle of something. 

Was that a shard of glass on her shoulder?

She nodded, and after a sip of water she said, “Yes, dear, I’m fine,” in a rough, hoarse voice and a sad kind of smile. The King knew he needed to spend some extra time holding his wife tonight.


	47. The Queen Gives Eugene a Talking To

Queen Rebecca, Light of Corona, was watching her daughter, the Lost Princess Returned, over dinner. 

Rapunzel took such delight in each new experience, sometimes she needed encouragement and sometimes not, but something about her good daughter was bothering her. 

The incident with the orange at breakfast could be waved aside due to being something she never had before, but she had been choosing a set of foods that bothered her for some reason. There was something about the foods Rapunzel was taking seconds and thirds of that reminded her of something and the queen just couldn’t pin it down. 

Was something wrong with her wonderful daughter?

It was dinnertime again. It was summertime and the fruits and vegetables were wonderfully ripe, and the chef was outdoing himself, showing off for the princess, no doubt. The fish course was an oil-poached flounder with lemons and herbs that was delectable. 

They stopped Rapunzel from biting down on an olive, during the appetizers; just keeping a close eye on Rapunzel so she didn’t hurt herself on an unfamiliar food, was an adventure; the incident with the orange had gotten their attention. Rapunzel took thirds of the kale, which the queen thought was a little too garlicky.

During the cheese course, Rapunzel swirled a pickle in a spreading cheese. She was going to have to remind her daughter that wasn’t polite, you should put some on your plate and then play with it. She watched her daughter pop the cheesed pickle in her mouth and eyes closed, crunched contentedly away. 

The queen smiled as she picked up her goblet for a sip, her daughter looked so happy, the last time she remembered enjoying a pickle that much was when she was …

Crash!

“Are you all right, dear?” asked the king. Everyone was looking at her.

“Um, yes, dear. I’m sorry …my glass slipped, that’s all,” recovered the queen. A maid rushed over and picked up the fallen goblet and blotted up the liquid. After a moment the conversation picked up again.

Now the queen was looking at Eugene. He was so attentive of Rapunzel, and was always there for her, seeing to her needs, positively doting on her. From the story she knew they had spent a night together in the forest, she wondered if there were more details they had glossed over. She pursed her lips.

“Eugene, after you escaped from the cave, Rapunzel healed you; what did that feel like?” The queen interrupted.

“Oh, um, it felt, ah, warm, I guess.” Eugene stammered, the question had nothing to do with the conversation and the intense gaze of the queen unnerved him for some reason. “To tell you the truth the situation was a little freaky. I hadn’t come all the way down from the excitement of finding ourselves still alive. Gathering some firewood and starting the fire had helped, but my hand was hurt, so getting the fire going had taken a while, I was bleeding all over the wood, it was dark by then.” 

“Rapunzel, then, got all cryptic on me and started wrapping her hair around my hand. Which I had just seen glow like the sun while we were busy drowning. She had said it didn’t just glow. Who knew what else it did? She asks me not to freak out, which is not the most comforting thing to say under the circumstances. When she starts singing and the glow is coming toward me, Pascal doesn’t exactly help with his comments.” He gestured toward the chameleon.

Pascal gave a shrug.

“The glow finally reaches my hand and it starts to feel warm, like sunshine on a summer morning, under the hair I can see the wound glowing too. I felt a lot better, and not just my hand, but my head from begin conked by a frying pan three times, and all the aches and pains I had all over my body. I knew stealing the crown was going to be a rough job, but I’ve never hurt so much in my life.”

“Those may have been when I tried stuffing you in my closet to hide you for Mother,” Rapunzel admitted shyly.

The king and queen traded a glance as Eugene gave her a long look under arched eyebrows, but continued, “When the song ended and the glow faded I unwrapped my hand, it was as good as new. I almost lost it then. Magic, glowing hair that heals. Wow.

“She then tells me why she never left the tower, the answer to the question I asked her in the passage from the Snuggly Duckling. The hair was a gift that needed to be protected and that she would go back after seeing the lights. Then I told her about myself how and why I became Flynn Rider. I was embarrassed about that, but she deserved the truth. Then I went to get more firewood, and she told me she liked Eugene better then Flynn.”

They took each other’s hands, and Rebecca’s eyes narrowed at that.

Rapunzel took up the story, “Then Mother came and tried to take me home, but I didn’t want to yet, I wanted to see the lights and I was thinking that Eugene liked me too. She gave me the crown to test him to see if he would leave or not, if the crown was more important to him then me.”

“Then I came back with a load of firewood. I was so tired from coming down from the rush I was babbling something about my hand while I built up the fire to keep us warm. Rapunzel and Pascal settled down on a little hill. I was a little envious of all that hair to sleep under, but I was still a little freaked out about it. I found a nice rock for a pillow on the other side of the fire and then we fell asleep.” Even Flynn was too embarrassed to bring up the topic of a super-strong hand.

Rebecca looked thoughtful. It sounded like nothing happened.

“What sound does complete and utter betrayal make?” asked Rapunzel, breaking eye contact with Eugene.

“It doesn’t make any sound at all,” said Rebecca offhandedly, distracted.

“Oh, so she lied about that, too. I still wonder how she found us?”

“Well, we did leave a trail of devastation about a mile wide and seventy feet of glowing blonde hair stands out quite a bit, it wouldn’t take a bloodhound to follow us,” quipped Flynn.

“I guess,” said Rapunzel, sadly.

# # #

Later, the queen asked Eugene to come to her sewing room. The queen’s sewing room was her personal office, much like the king’s study. Her private place was her personal library, it was nice and quiet there, but this was more serious. This was where she would deal with things that needed a woman’s touch. 

Occasionally, she even did some sewing.

“Please, have a seat,” the Queen invited Eugene, as she leaned on her desk with her arms folded under her breasts.

Eugene was thinking, “ _What have I done now?_ ” as he slowly and carefully settled into the red fish embroidered chair. At least it was cushioned, unlike the one in the king’s study.

Flynn Rider warned Eugene Fitzherbert that the woman in front of them was very dangerous. Eugene had already figured that out. The Queen’s gaze was extremely intense.

Queen Rebecca considered the man in front of her.

A few days ago she wanted him dead, dead, dead!

After they sent the palace guards after him, she didn’t care about him anymore. She had more important things to take care of.

She needed to save the kingdom. 

She needed to die.

# # #

She had run down to the throne room to see the empty pedestal, had seen Captain Forester running from the throne room a look of anguish on his face, and had seen her husband just standing there, a tear in his beard.

She found herself in her private library screaming, throwing plate after plate at the obelisk. The maids restocked her plates three times before she had finally exhausted herself. 

She found herself sitting on the floor surrounded by the shattered remains of those plates talking to the last evidence that her miracle baby had even existed. Her heart knew that her baby still lived out there somewhere, but the kingdom was out of time. 

The vial with the Lock of Hair was in her hand and she was talking to it again. Holding it to her wet cheek.

“I’m sorry my miracle baby. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I won’t be here for you, but if there is to be any chance for anything to be here for you to come back home to, I need to go. Leonard needs a queen that will bare him living babies. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the mother that you and the kingdom needed. I tried. I tried so hard. There’s nothing left. I would wait for you forever, but the kingdom is out of time. I love you so much, but you aren’t here and I have to love the kingdom more. Good-bye.” Rebecca kissed the vial containing her daughter’s hair.

She had felt a certain kind of freedom after deciding to go through with her plan. It was pretty simple, she needed to have an “accident” where she would drown. Leonard had already promised to remarry, after she almost died having the twins. She had made him promise, for the sake of the kingdom. 

Tomorrow was the anniversary of their daughter’s birth. She couldn’t do it then. The kingdom needed to see them together one last time. But the day after was good, everyone knew they did things to distract themselves from the remembering. 

That also gave her time to visit the special place in the quiet corner of the palace garden, she couldn’t visit there very often. There was a marker with thirteen names and dates carved in it. Her other children. She would say goodbye to them too. 

They would go out on a little boat in the evening and she would make sure he had plenty of fortified wine and they would find her body in Dead Man’s Cove just up the coast, all the bodies and debris ended up there.  She might as well start swimming there, but it would be too far to do without drowning. It would look just like an accident and all will be well for the kingdom. 

Yes, all would be well. She had tried to say that to Leonard before the lantern launch, but the words would not pass her throat, so she had just looked with hope and love into his sad eyes and wiped away his tear.

She had stood up and brushed the shattered porcelain from her dress and left her private library with a look of hope on her face. She left her wedding ring and the Lock on her vanity so they wouldn’t be lost. Then there was a princess candidate in the palace. She had had to retrieve the vial with the Lock so she would have it to lend to Mortimer, for the Test.

But this man, Eugene Fitzherbert, here in front of her now, had interrupted her plan, by bringing her daughter home. She wondered if she would ever be able to trust him enough, to tell him what he had done meant to her.

“So, my husband has told me we can trust you now. Tell me of your feelings about my daughter.” Her look was rather intimidating.

“She’s my new dream, she is my reason for living, for being alive at all, really. I just want to be a good husband and care for her.” Honesty was definitely the best policy for this woman.

The queen tilted her head considering that. It wasn’t quite the answer she was looking for. 

There was the fact her daughter had ripped his shirt open that morning. Another concern was how her daughter had reacted to the palace library. It had obviously overwhelmed her, but there were overtones that concerned her. Had Flynn Rider enflamed those overtones? All those fangirls had made it obvious that he was good at it.

“Eugene, have you ... _known_ my daughter?” One last attempt at delicateness.

“Only for three, no, four days now. The most exciting time of my life and that’s saying something.” Eugene grinned broadly; he was trying to lighten the mood. 

Sadly, he failed.

Miserably. 

The queen’s face hardened. She moved to stand right in front of him, delicate hands on ample hips, leaning forward slightly. 

Eugene tried pushing himself through the back of the cushioned chair. Eugene’s smile, didn’t just slide off his face, it sorta dropped off and flopped on the floor like a fish out of water. Flynn Rider saw trouble coming and ducked behind a hefty looking geology lesson.

“Okay, forget subtlety. Have you gotten Rapunzel pregnant?” She growled. The doctor and headmistress had said that her daughter was still a virgin, though the idea of healing hair made that an uncertain prognosis. She had had fourteen children and had learned all she could about pregnancy and birth and child care. The way Rapunzel was eating, she was certain her daughter was pregnant.

Eugene’s jaw bounced off of the floor. “What? No! I haven’t touched her.”

Flynn Rider was on the floor of Eugene’s mind; laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. 

The queen considered him. Eugene’s face was so open. Eugene has asked for justice and had warned her of telling her daughter that she loved her, terribly confirmed with other words she had said to her daughter. He had even died for her daughter. 

Maybe he really wasn’t Flynn Rider anymore.

Rebecca loved him, considered him family even, because he had brought her baby home and it felt right, now, after really looking into his eyes, to trust him.

“Oh, come on. I’m never going to live down being Flynn Rider, am I?” Eugene said irritatedly.

Queen Rebecca’s mouth twitched. “Okay, I believe you.”

“Thanks a lot.” Eugene’s reply dripped with sarcasm.

The queen smiled slightly. “Okay, you’ve been honest with me, I’ll be honest with you.”

Then she got serious. “Here’s what’s up. I’ve been noticing that Rapunzel has been eating …oddly.”

“Well, it might be because she’s trying out new things. I mean, remember when she took that bite out of the orange.”

The queen tried not to chuckle at the memory, saying it was a fruit like an apple didn’t mean that you eat it like an apple. “No, I mean that she is eating things in odd combinations or eating extras of certain things, just like when I was pregnant with her. And you’re sure she had never been out of the tower before?”

Eugene wanted to stand and pace around, but the queen was right in front of him, blocking him in his chair. “Absolutely, you weren’t there so you didn’t see any of this and it wasn’t important to the story last time. I was halfway down the tower when she rode her hair down to the ground. She was afraid of _grass_. Dandelion fluff captured her attention completely. She was constantly picking up flowers and shiny rocks and things.

“When she ran for the exit, it was with everything she had. She spent the next hour flip-flopping between ecstasy for being outside and depression for having disobeyed the kidnapper. The only time she had been out of the tower before that was when she was with you when she was born. I’d bet my life on that!” Eugene was leaning forward in the chair.

The queen cocked her hip, just like her daughter, considering other possibilities. “What about another visitor?”

“Then she wouldn’t have needed me as a guide, now would she?” Eugene leaned back, waving it aside.

The queen frowned. “Now why would she need to eat like that?” 

“I have no idea.” Eugene sounded concerned.

Queen Rebecca turned and looked out of the window at the setting sun. Out of options, she would have to talk to Rapunzel, but not directly. 

“I am in an unfortunate position, you know more about my daughter than I do. What can you tell me about her?” Rebecca began as she turned back to Eugene. 

Eugene relaxed and sat forward in his chair, this was something he could do.

# # #

Queen Rebecca was desperately holding her shaking, crying daughter again the next morning, as the sky was lightening with the aurora of the dawn. “Oh, mama, won’t the nightmares ever stop?” Rapunzel wailed, as she clung to her real mama, her tears soaking through the queen’s nightgown. Papa and Eugene were together on the other side of the bed, the guards were letting him through now.

“They should fade in time, dear. You’ve been through so much, and it may be a way that you’re coping with it all. You are the sunshine of my soul and I am here for you.” Mama said, looking deeply into those eyes that looked just like her own.

“You warm my soul and I am glad I am home.” Rapunzel replied, almost desperately, hugging her mama tightly.

They may not be able to say, “I love you” directly to each other right now, the Kidnapper had poisoned those words, but they could certainly come up with another phrase to say the same thing. It was a little cumbersome, but it worked, sort of. 

“What was it about this time?” asked her loving mama, kindly, as she rubbed her hurt baby’s shoulders. The bruises were beginning to fade.

“Oh, mama, it was the worst nightmare ever. Everything was been taken from me again. Mother was screaming and c-crumbling. E-Eugene,” she grabbed him and pulled him close, “You were dying and r-rotting. Pascal died. My hair was lying brown and dead. The tower crumbled and fell. The canyon walls went away, everything was flat and grey and sad. Even the s-stars went out. I couldn’t do anything to help. E-Everything w-was g-gone.”

They held her close as she sobbed, as the guards went back to their posts and the maid brought in breakfast. 

Mama was concerned, this was the first repeated nightmare her baby had, and it was so awful. All the rest had been different. Hearing her baby screaming, sobbing ‘Stop!’ from the next room tore at her heart. She just couldn’t move fast enough in the morning. She needed to get to bed earlier so she could get up before the nightmares.

They admired the painting of the tower on the wall that Rapunzel had been working on overnight, as a distraction.

They started breakfast that included Rosemary tea, which Rapunzel commented on not liking very much, but was told, should help with the nightmares. Her mama took the opening, “Rapunzel, I realize that I have no idea what your favorite foods are. Will you tell me?”

“Oh, of course, there was hazelnut soup, and apple pie and cookies,” said Rapunzel eagerly as she poured a lot of salt onto her eggs.

“And what else did you eat?” she asked, very casually, but noting the salt. Rebecca’s tongue cringed just looking at all that salt sparkling on her daughter’s eggs.

“Oh, the normal stuff, bread, not as good as this, but as good as I could make it. Eggs, I can cook eggs 107 different ways, parsnips, rutabagas, onions, garlic, and shallots. Milk was pretty common, but not always. Oh, and Mother would occasionally bring back berries and herbs she found along the way.”

“And that was it?”

“Yup, I think so, nothing like this.” Rapunzel gestured to the lavish, but ordinary to the royals, spread on the table, and dug into her scrambled eggs.

Eugene was looking like he wanted to talk about this some more, but the queen kicked him under the table.

“So what is on the agenda for today?” Rebecca asked cheerfully, but inside she was worried, it didn’t sound as though Rapunzel had been fed a very good diet. 

Had her hair been keeping her alive as it had the Kidnapper? Only from keeping back age, it was keeping Rapunzel from malnutrition? It certainly seemed possible, the hair had been able to stave off age and even death, so why not malnutrition. 

An ugly thought reared its head, had the Kidnapper been trying to keep Rapunzel down by not feeding her correctly? Keeping her small and stunted, easier to control. Rapunzel was eighteen now and somewhat shorter then her. Queen Rebecca’s jaw began to ache. She was going to have to go to her screaming place already, and it was only breakfast. 

Her personal library was a quiet place for reflection and contemplation, but so often her miracle baby would reveal some facet of her life that showed the Kidnapper as the selfish, controlling, soul-crushing witch she was. Rebecca would have to go to her library and scream and throw out her hate and her rage. The staff had been stocking it with lots of cheap breakables. That was so nice of them.

It seemed to help, for a little while at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The queen is not wearing a wedding band in the movie. We see that quite clearly. The king has a signet ring. Rapunzel and Eugene each get one in Tangled Ever After, but where is hers? I can think of a few reasons why. You saw the reason she chose here.


	48. The Queen's Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback for the king and queen.

King Leonard was looking out the window, not really thinking or anything. He was mired in depression, it had been twelve long, lonely years without their daughter. They had launched the lanterns last night and still no sign of her. She should be entering puberty about now, becoming a woman, no longer a little girl.

They had missed so much of her life already? No first birthday cake, no first steps, no first Christmas, no first ride on the swing, no first pony ride. Was there any hope left? Had hope and good fled the kingdom? He tried to be a good king, but it seemed like nothing worked right anymore. Everything went wrong. Did the universe hate their fair kingdom and himself?

He had an intense hate for the Kidnapper. The fire of that hate kept him going. That old woman had taken not only his daughter, but also his heart. 

Queen Rebecca came gracefully into his study. He truly admired his queen, she had so much hope about the return of their daughter, and she had even suggested the sky lanterns to call her home. There was still hope.

She daintily sat down on the love seat and he sat next to her. Queen Rebecca was looking down at the floor. Worried, he took her delicate hand in his and asked, “How are you, dear?”

“Promise me, that when we find the kidnapper, that she’ll be mine to deal with as I see fit.” Asked gracious Queen Rebecca, mother of the Lost Princess.

King Leonard was surprised. His wife cried herself to sleep, every night in his arms, but this is the first time she had asked about the Kidnapper.

The laws had been changed to allow more latitude in dealing with kidnappers; following the abduction of their daughter. He had compiled quite a list of possible punishments, some, frankly most, sickened him. He wanted it to hurt. He kept it in a secret locked file.

He loved his wife very much, and didn’t want to see her sink into barbarism. He would do it, to protect his beloved wife.

“What do you have in mind, dear?” he asked cautiously. 

“I’ve thought about it long and hard and I know what I want. I want to drink her blood, all of it.” Dignified Queen Rebecca said utterly calmly, still gazing at the floor.

“You want... to drink... her blood.” King Leonard said slowly, he was beyond shocked.

“Yes, that’s all. I will say to her, after the trial, that:   
I am Queen Rebecca.   
You stole my baby.  
I am going to drink your blood.  
We are going to hang her by her heels from the plaza balcony, everyone in the kingdom will be invited to come, I will wear my crown and my wedding dress.” Rebecca the Hopeful continued in that calm, calm voice.

“Your ...wedding ...dress, why on earth for?” The King’s eyebrows were trying to crawl past his hairline.

“Because it’s white and I want everyone to be able to easily see the blood of the Kidnapper, if I spill any. I will just nick her throat. I found the cutest little knife at the anniversary yesterday, just perfect for the job. I don’t really want to spill any, I want to drink it all.”

“She will not be gagged, she can taunt and plead, and I will order the crowd to be silent so we can hear her, but in the end she will go silent as I drink all her blood, myself.” Elegant Queen Rebecca finished in that calm, calm voice, that sent shivers up her loving husband’s spine.

“Promise me that she’ll be mine, pretty please,” she looked up at her husband with those eyes, those huge, green, sad, puppy-dog eyes that he couldn’t resist. He knew she was using her eyes against him, but right now he didn’t care.

“She is yours. I promise,” the king said to his graceful queen as he turned away from her. He had had his own exotic punishments in mind for the Kidnapper. They were as nothing compared to what his bride wanted to do. Now he fervently prayed that the kidnapper might be killed before his wife gets a hold of her.


	49. Thanking Maximus

Princess Rapunzel was lost, again. 

Well, not lost exactly, she knew she was still in the ...her kingdom. Girl, but that still throws her, thinking of a whole kingdom as hers. 

She was still even in the palace, the stables actually. She was just getting a little tired of being lead around like a child, following behind Mortimer the Seneschal to another meeting. 

She had told her parents that she wanted to see Maximus before they promoted him. They had had no problem with that. Mama wanted to talk to Eugene anyway. 

Mortimer had scribbled something into his book that he always carried. She didn’t like that book any more, she didn’t like being told what to do by some pile of papers. Books are for learning from; not being told what to do or where to be.

Now she was wandering the stables looking for Maximus, who was in here somewhere, but the royal stables were pretty big.

She had a guard and a maid trailing along behind her. She had a staff!? A whole herd of persons who just wanted to do what she asked, that had been so freaky when her parents had introduced them all to her and why. She could understand the idea of the bodyguard, they didn’t want her Lost again. But the maids? She could do all that herself, at least she thought so, if she had time anymore. At least she seemed to be making friends with some of them. Margaret was very nice, she tried to be all serious, but it was fun to make her giggle. For some reason she didn’t feel so dumb around Margaret.

She passed Private Conli mucking out a stable. So she picked up the hem of her green dress and carefully walked around the mess. The staff were working hard on making her dresses fit, and they were working fast, but this one was pinching under her arms a little. They had replaced the sleeves on this one and a few others, so her bruises wouldn’t show. 

The bruises only hurt if she touched them, and they were turning yellow which mama said was normal as she healed. Her shoulders weren’t hurting quite so much. She was getting to know how normal healing worked, but she missed her hair. So many people were hurt worse then she was and she couldn’t love them.

After eighteen lonely years in the tower, she didn’t seem to be able to get away from people at all now, except for quiet time, but she could still hear them, moving around, the palace itself made different noises from the tower too. It was so tiring meeting them all.

There were grooms willing to help, she could even ask the horses, but she just didn’t want help right now, she just wanted to try doing something all on her own for once, it seemed like. 

She thought she’d solve this problem like she had sweeping the tower, start from the outside and work to the center. The tower had been something she knew so well, but it was just a prison. She was almost all the way around the outer perimeter when she finally found him in a stall near some big doors, getting brushed by an older groom.

“Your Highness, come to visit Maximus?” asked the groom with a bow. Everyone heard the story of how Maximus had helped save the princess.

“Yes, I’ve been so busy, I haven’t been able to visit him before now.”

Max gave her a nuzzle that said, {“It’s alright.”}

“I was just about to take him outside so he could get some fresh air and green grass. Want to help?”

“Yes, please,” said the princess with a smile. Together they settled the sun-marked blanket over Max and took him out through the big doors to a small pasture filled with good green grass, not far from the palace.

After closing the gate, the old groom settled himself on an even older log and let Max wander around the grass, the guard and the maid stood nearby, waiting if anything was needed.

“How are you feeling Max?”

Max gave a head waggle, {Better, but still getting tired too easily.} 

“You’ll be fine.” Rapunzel stood next to him and patted his side for a while, as he munched some grass. Pascal climbed onto his back for the view.

Max gave her a nuzzle, asking if she was okay.

“I don’t know. So much is happening that I don’t understand. But I came and found you on my own, so that’s good. I don’t feel so helpless anymore.”

Max smiled and wagged his tail.

“I really did want to thank you for getting the Pub Thugs to rescue Eugene so he could rescue me. You’re such a good horse.” Rapunzel gave him a hug.

Max asked about the stallion and mare that sired her.

“They are so wonderful and kind, they comfort my nightmares. I hope I can be a good princess for them and my kingdom.” 

Max was sure she would be.

“Thank you.” 

Rapunzel leaned in and whispered in his ear. “They are going to make you a captain and I get to put your new helmet on you. Won’t that be nice?”

Max smiled, he was sure that would be.

Charles Forester, Captain of the Palace Guard, came to the gate just then. “Ah, there you are Maximus. It’s time to get ready for your promotion.

“Good day, princess. I didn’t see you there.” He bowed respectfully as Princess Rapunzel came out from behind Max, and the old groom stood up.

“Good day, Captain. I guess I need to go get ready too.” Rapunzel sighed as she looked back to the palace. How could she miss the Tower so much, when all it had been, was a prison?

The maid led the princess back to her room in the palace.


	50. Rapunzel and Captain Maximus

The King was giving another speech to the crowd in the plaza in front of the palace. 

He was telling them why he was so impressed by what Maximus had done to rescue the girl, who just happened to be the Lost Princess. 

Doing the right thing often had greater consequences then you knew at the time. 

He described how Max had gotten the Pub Thugs, taken them to the prison and showed them the building that was close to the prison walls, it took a few tried but they figured out what he wanted to do. They then had simply rushed the prison to get Flynn Rider, prisons generally don’t get attacked from the outside, getting in had been easy, but the gates slammed shut behind them. 

Max knew he could jump to the neighboring building, if he could get up to the top of the wall. A person couldn’t make it, but the most powerful horse in the kingdom could. 

He had nearly broken all his legs a dozen times over trying to get up the spiral stair case to get to the top, sliding backwards several times, grabbing the handrail with his teeth, while the thugs had broken into teams to try and find Rider. There were only three cells capable of holding such a notorious person.

They were to get him up to the top of the wall, he would take it from there. When the guards had responded from the barracks, Max had worried, but the thugs found a solution. A couple of steps backwards and a half step to the left and Rider had landed right in his saddle. With a running start they were off to save the nice girl with the blonde hair. 

“In honor of doing these great deeds, and of being the best horse in the kingdom, I promote Maximus to Captain of all Horses of the Kingdom of Corona.”

A great cheer rose from the crowd. Rapunzel picked up the specially made Captain’s helmet, from the Captain of the Guard. Maximus lowered his head and she attached the red-plumed helmet to his head. His tail was wagging like crazy and she gave him a kiss. 

Rapunzel thought Max looked very regal and captain-ey as the review of troops began.

# # #

Rapunzel couldn’t believe what she was seeing, as the troops marched past the royal family and their newest Captain.

The Seneschal had told them that they were going to be reviewing the troops today and she had asked on what subject. Papa had told her that meant that the troops would dress up nice and walk past them so they could see them. Papa had said it very gently, but she still felt stupid. Again.

They were doing it to honor the Princess and Captain Maximus, to show how much they cared. These were the men who had pledged their lives to defend the kingdom. Hundreds of men in shining breastplates marched past, others rode on horses and even ships sailed by with the rigging filled with men in bright white uniforms. 

It was so beautiful, but it also reminded her that the world was a dangerous place. Not as dangerous as Mother had always told her, but dangerous enough. She had almost believed Mother was right about the world. She had doubted when she had found out the Pub Thugs dreams, but then all those scary men had come and then even the very water and rocks seemed to be attacking them. 

In the cave before Eugene had given her that most precious gift, she had truly believed that Mother was right. But they lived, and so she doubted again. But when she believed that Eugene had left her she knew Mother was right, that betrayal had hurt the worst. She went home in tears, determined never to leave the tower again, because Mother was right about Outside, it destroyed everything good. Then the vision came and everything changed and Mother’s lies were completely exposed.

Papa had explained the reasons for having an army and a navy. Most of the world is good, but there were some who weren’t, like the Stabbington brothers and Mother. He had pulled out a map and given her a tour of the world and an explanation of those other kingdoms and countries that were friends and enemies, the good and the bad. And so they had an army and a navy to protect themselves and others, much like a very big frying pan.

Rapunzel did think that the boots were very noisy. She still preferred to go barefoot, it was so much easier to move and it was quieter too. Rapunzel looked at her mama and tried to look just like she did. Queen Rebecca looked so regal and her daughter tried to too; she did pretty well.


	51. Rapunzel and the Birthday Cake

“So what were your birthdays like in the tower?” Asked Eugene as he watched the newly reunited royal family hug on the sofa as he say in a chair across a small coffee table from them. They were hugging a lot. It was a good way to say I love you without using the word. Queen Rebecca would just hold Rapunzel to her bosom and the tears would flow down her face. Leonard’s big arms wrapped around both of them.

Eugene realized that with all the adventures, Rapunzel really didn’t get much of a birthday celebration.

“Usually not much different from other days, except for the floating lights, um, lanterns. I could tell it was coming by the stars. But Mother usually did something nice for me. Hazelnut soup for dinner, which she would make herself; I cooked most of the time. A new brush for my hair or paints, though sometimes fabric for a new dress.” Rapunzel replied, she kept calling Mother, well, Mother, since they didn’t have any other name for her yet, but she could tell it bothered Mama and she didn’t want to upset Mama. Rapunzel was pretty sure Mama wouldn’t Punish her.

“The lanterns were the highlight and late enough so that Mother would be asleep. Hmm. I guess that would be why she always thought they were the stars, I’m not sure she ever saw them.” Rapunzel finished thoughtfully.

“Hazelnut soup… What about a cake, did she make a birthday cake for you, too?” Asked the queen.

“Birthday cake?” asked Rapunzel, shaking her head, feeling dumb, again. Her cookbook had recipes for cake, but she’d never heard of a birthday cake before.

“We did get some of the birthday cupcakes you had handed out for the celebration,” chimed in Eugene. He was an orphan, but even he knew about birthday cakes, even if they had to share with all the others that had a birthday that month.

“You never had a birthday cake?” Asked the king in his deep rich voice, not quite sure how to explain the idea.

“No, what’s a birthday cake?” asked Rapunzel in a small embarrassed voice.

The queen, her face filled with joy, looked over to Margaret the maid, who went up on her toes in excitement, “Have the kitchen make a birthday cake, right away.”

In a twirl of black and white, and a clatter of shoes, Margaret took off running down the corridor. 

“My dear, a birthday cake is a special cake made for you on your birthday, and it comes with candles you wish on and you share it with family and friends. And you must have a birthday cake even if it is a little late.” The Mama smiled like the sun on the first warm day of spring, taking her beloved daughter’s hands in her own. The Kidnapper had taken so many things from their family, but somehow she had left this one special little thing just for them. Rapunzel began to smile back, it didn’t seem to be a bad thing to not know something for once, and everyone seemed so happy.

“Don’t forget presents,” Flynn just had to chime in.

Papa laughed, “Oh, there are plenty of presents, we’ll have to show you the storerooms full of presents the people have given us for you over the years.”

“Well, the cake will take a while, so let’s go down and take a look right now,” said Mama. Hopefully this would help Rapunzel feel better.

When they opened the first one Rapunzel was intimidated by the sheer amount of presents. How could she be a good princess, there was no room for hardly any of this stuff in her room, which was almost as large as the tower and this was even larger. After poking around for a little while, she also realized that she had no idea what to do with almost all of the things she had found either. Almost all of it was pretty, but you couldn’t do anything with it, that she could tell. 

Then they looked in the other four rooms. 

“Mama, I’m so dumb, I don’t understand any of this. Please. Help me.” Rapunzel was shaking, trying not to cry. She wanted to be a good princess, but this made even less sense then most of what she had to do. Clothes that were much too small, obviously made for a child. Paintings, which were nice, but she liked hers more because they helped her remember her family, friends and adventures. The snow globes were pretty, but what could you do with them at all?

“You are not dumb! People were just trying to be nice and give you things you might like but they couldn’t know what you liked. We saved all this for you so you could see the …sunshine …they have for you.” The queen used an alternate word for the love the people had for their lost princess, but hated the reason for having to use it. She hated it even more when Rapunzel put herself down. She loathed the fact they had no other name for the kidnapper, but ‘mother.’ That had fueled lots of time in her personal library.

“Okay,” Rapunzel said slowly, “But what can I do with all of this, there is nowhere to put it all in my room.” 

“True enough, we should send thank you notes back to tell them you appreciated getting the gifts, but yes, we need to do something with all of these things.”

“Maybe we should have a yard sale,” said Eugene, his Flynn Rider side had totaled up the value of the items and it was pretty impressive. 

# # #

The royal family and Eugene came back to the family dining room once they were told the cake was ready. 

The kitchen staff had almost lost it, when they learned that their princess had never had a birthday cake. There wasn’t a need or time, it was getting late, to make a big, fancy cake. It really was just for the four of them, but they wanted to make it fast and good. 

So they had to keep it simple. 

Everyone wanted to help; the head chef ended up having to plonk Attila in front of the oven, to make sure the cakes weren’t disturbed. Attila was more then formidable enough to keep everyone from the ovens, especially with the big frying pan. He had made friends with the pastry chef. The head chef had the rest of the staff do all kinds of pointless busywork tasks: polishing the spoons, alphabetizing everything in the store rooms; keeping them focused by waving her wooden spoon around, so they wouldn’t disturb the cake and make it fall.

She did get the staff to help cool the cakes by taking them outside and fanning them to cool them quickly. It was a bit odd to see twenty people waving sheet pans at a small table in the garden. 

The pastry chef had grilled Margaret. With garlic and lemons? No! Not like that! She asked her questions about the princess: favorite colors, foods and things like that. They didn’t have much to go on, except she used to have golden blonde hair, and a lavender dress she came in and she liked hazelnut soup. The pastry chef and her assistant went crazy making roses and frosting. 

There was a small, okay, not so small, panic trying to find the candles. They never did figure out what happened to the spoons they had been alphabetizing. Private Conli ended up covered in flour and having to wash his potatoes again. But the cake was tasty and ready to be served in record time. It was a butter cake, with some ganache to hold the layers together and a white frosting with yellow and lavender roses.

The kitchen staff waited anxiously as Margaret carefully pushed the cake on its little cart to the princess. 

# # #

“Now you blow out the candles and make a wish,” said the Queen, excitedly, as the King and Eugene looked embarrassed about how badly they had sung together.

Rapunzel looked at the candles as they burned, thinking about what to wish for. _“What more could I wish for, I am back with my real parents and I have my true love. Right now, what more is there that I need?”_

She looked at her beloved parents and Eugene thought, _“Well, there was one thing....”_

She screwed her eyes shut and blew really hard.


	52. Gothel and the Big Hair

It had been a hard, cold winter. Gothel was annoyed at those, but the hair could cure frostbite and even malnutrition, though it couldn’t do anything about the hunger itself. One thing the tower was missing was a good storeroom. She had long ago established a food forest and a root cellar in a cave to store food, but going out of the tower was always risky when the vine curtain that kept them hidden was gone.

Fortunately the tower was easy to keep warm. At least, as long as they kept the upper shutters closed. It had been so cold and they kept the fire going all the time.

Thirty feet of hair was nice in that you could wrap it around yourselves and stay warm, but it had been so dry this winter; it was getting out of hand. They hadn’t washed in months, but both of their heads had become like dandelion fluff whenever they brushed it. 

And they had to brush Rapunzel’s hair every day, Gothel didn’t dare let it tangle again. That had happened once when Rapunzel was little and it had been so painfully hard to untangle it; it took weeks, with Rapunzel screaming the whole time. 

Once she had been so frustrated, she actually thought of cutting the tangle out before realizing what that would have meant. Gothel had very carefully put the knife away in her drawer and then had the shakes for a few hours after.

Now her biggest worry was the fire, hair caught fire and burned so easily. Now after she brushed it, the hair would stand up on end and nearly fill the whole tower so Rapunzel had to sit away from the fire, which Gothel didn’t like and neither did Rapunzel. While her own hair would also stand on end, it wasn’t nearly as bad being so relatively short and curly.

Gothel had learned that if you touch metal the hair would fall out of the air, but the frying pan was only big enough for her own hair. For Rapunzel that had not been big enough. She didn’t know why you needed a bigger piece of metal for Rapunzel’s hair, probably because she had so much hair, but they didn’t have a piece big enough. 

The biggest piece of metal was on top of the tower, a large copper ball, but you couldn’t reach it from the inside. Gothel was annoyed, why would anyone put a large, expensive copper ball on the outside of a 50-foot tower, hidden in a tiny canyon? 

There was a lot about the tower she didn’t know. 

It was old when she found it, carrying the baby, through the forest. She had only intended to stop and rest for a moment, she had just barely escaped from being caught by the Seneschal himself and a bunch of palace guards at the Snuggly Duckling. 

Once out of sight of the pub she had run blindly in the forest as fast as she could. She had finally paused to sit on a rock when a breeze had moved a curtain of vines, she had followed it in, and found the tower. 

She’d used the trapdoor for years until Rapunzel was old enough that she might remember it. She had been very careful to keep it a secret. There wasn’t any metal down there anyway, the ladder was wood, and the stairs stone. 

“Wait, there was another piece of metal, there was a copper wire that ran up the backside of the tower.” She had almost forgotten about that, but had been the first thing she had found after the tower itself and then the entrance. Looking around the tower to orient herself, it would pass by the window next to Rapunzel’s bedroom. 

Gothel had given Rapunzel the upper bedroom, so there was someplace to send her when she needed to be punished. Sending her to the nook wasn’t far enough away from the middle of things. Having Rapunzel bouncing on the bed, asking if she could come out now, over and over again, had driven her to distraction.

Gothel had never learned how to braid hair, her own hair was too curly. She had tried braiding Rapunzel’s hair once, but the results were so disastrous, that combing it out had been nearly as bad as the tangle.

Now Gothel gathered up all of Rapunzel’s hair as she brushed it, fighting it to keep it under control. Pet was doing her best to sit still, but both of their skins were feeling very strange. The hairs all over their bodies were standing up now. 

Gothel knew there was a small zap when she touched the frying pan, but there was no way for her to know just how much energy had been built up in the coil of thirty feet of hair she held. It was ballooning, and Gothel had to have Rapunzel stand across the room to try and keep it tight.

The hair didn’t even want to fall to the floor anymore, and even then there were stray hairs that were standing straight up. Gothel moved up the stairs to Rapunzel’s room. She opened the window, and the cold, cold air pried at her skin. She leaned out and saw the copper wire. 

Of course, it was way over there, maybe just barely within reach. Wrapping the end of the hair around her hand one more time she stretched out over the dizzying height. Lying up against the side of the window, she reached blindly for the wire. 

ZAAKOWOK!

Screaming, Gothel nearly toppled out of the window. Dragging Rapunzel forward; she grabbed the edge of the window and pulled herself back in. She closed the window with her other hand to keep the cold out. Then she examined her hand. There was a burn down the side of her fingers and her hand was shaking uncontrollably. 

“Mommy, are you okay?” little Rapunzel padded over in her bare feet, feeling it safe to come to Mother now that her hair was limp. There were tears in her eyes and down her face. Her hair being pulled had hurt a lot, but she knew Mother was trying to help, so she was trying to be brave and not cry.

“Ow, no, I’m not.” Staring at her hand. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, the zap when she touched other metal things was small, but this had been huge and she was pretty sure she hadn’t even touched the wire.

Rapunzel gently wrapped her hair around Mother’s injured hand and sang her healing song. 

“There, that’s better, isn’t it, Mommy?” Rapunzel said seriously.

Gothel felt the pain ease and vanish and saw the burn glow and heal and her hand stop shaking under the healing power of her flower’s hair. 

“Yes, it is. Thank you, dear. That was very nice. I love you very much.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most,” and Gothel gave her flower a hug and a kiss on the hair.


	53. The Seneschal and Mother Gothel

Rapunzel was lying in her pretty palace bed, it didn’t have a canopy like her bed in the tower had; it was shaped like a whale. Guards surrounded her room.

The princess couldn’t sleep, after having been put to bed by her real parents and Eugene. She was undoubtedly tired, meeting all those people was overwhelming, and they all seemed to love her, especially the children. They had been waiting for her for so long, it was so hard to deal with all that emotional energy. They said they loved her but did they really? Mother had said she loved her, too.

Yesterday at the end of the Jubilee she had fallen into bed and slept immediately for all she had a nap in the afternoon. But today she had found no sleep. It was all so exciting and so new. She felt unworthy of all this and deeply humbled.

She was also afraid to sleep. Sleep brought nightmares, and they were so much worse then any she had ever had before. She actually woke up screaming all the time now, even from naps, unless someone woke her up.

Even the worst thunderstorms, where the lightning licked at the bowl her tower sat in and the thunder echoed and echoed, were as nothing compared to these nightmares. They had given her rosemary tea before bed to help with the nightmares, but it tasted awful, and it hadn’t worked yet.

When her parents had tucked her in tonight she had lain quietly and kissed them goodnight. After everyone was gone and the curtains pulled and guards stationed, she pulled out the box she had bumped her head on. 

On it was note, “For memories. ~Eugene” 

Pascal climbed up to her shoulder and gave a squeak; asking what was inside. She opened it, and smiled, it was a small paint kit. One thing that drove her crazy about her new room was how fancy, but totally bare it was. The walls had huge open spaces, which were framed in with fanciful borders; they were just calling for something to fill them. 

Now was a good time. Hopping out of bed and padding over to the wall on the end of her bed she started with her tower. The smell of fresh paints tickled her nose, but it was a homely smell, a good smell. 

After painting grass and the waterfall, and starting up the base she realized how she really didn’t know what the Tower looked like on the outside. The first time she left she had been too excited at leaving to look back. When she got home it was dark and only had an outline of how it looked, and the last time.... 

The last time had been too painful to look back, so much had changed, Mother was gone and so was her magic hair, everything that she had known that made her special was left behind. Her Tower had been nothing more then a prison, but she missed it so much.

Rapunzel was special here in Corona, but it wasn’t the same. 

Well, she wasn’t looking for accuracy anyway and painted the Tower as she knew it from the inside. It didn’t take long to finish a rough version of the Tower, she’d have to wait for the paint to dry anyway before adding details. 

But first she added a long line of bright yellow, with a curl at the end, to remember her hair by. She missed her hair so much too, so many times, these past two days. She kept finding herself reaching for it. Sometimes she had wanted to hide in it, but more often she had wanted to heal someone, there were so many people with injuries she could have helped once. 

She would see someone missing a finger, or a tooth, or just scarred in some way and she kept finding herself looking at her empty hand after trying to reach for her magic, healing hair.

She had had some quiet time today, ostensibly for a nap, but she had spent the whole time crying for those people. Mother had been so selfish, we could have helped so many people and it wouldn’t have hurt her to have shared. It isn’t as though she could only heal once a day or something. 

Mother... 

Rapunzel rolled the brush between her fingers. She could already feel the memory of her fading. All the new things were crowding her out. A part of her wanted that memory to go away, but another part of her said, “Do you, really? For better or worse she raised you and you called her Mother and you loved her.” 

There were tears in Rapunzel’s eyes. She had to paint her, but not here; not out in the open all the time. Looking around she choose a spot next to one of the windows, she could cover Mother with the drape and see her only when she wanted too. 

Moving some hair that wasn’t in her face, she set to work.

# # #

“Good morning, your Majesties, Highness, ...Eugene,” said the Seneschal, Mortimer Danberry, poking his head in, “Would you like the morning report, sire?” He had stopped trying to get the royal family together without Eugene, he wasn’t a royal and shouldn’t have access to this information, but he was always with the princess and since she was always with her parents…. Well, there was no use in trying to exclude him. 

“Yes, Mortimer, now is a good time, before things get too busy. But first, look at what Rapunzel painted last night.” Pointing to the unfinished painting of the tower. Mortimer was shocked that she had painted on the walls, but she’s a princess and they can do just about anything. Captain Taygon had told them to expect the unexpected but painting on the walls, was unexpectedly unexpected.

“Very nice, your Highness.” he said before turning around. He started to open his folder and turned around. 

Files spilled down as his eyes caught sight of another painting, almost hidden by a drape. It was a stunning woman with raven black hair and a red dress and he knew her.

“W-who is that?” he asked pointing with a shaking hand.  
Everyone turned around, they hadn’t noticed that picture, being occupied with Rapunzel and the other painting on the opposite side of the room.

“Um, that’s Mother,” said Rapunzel shyly. “I am beginning to forget what she looked like, so I painted her before I did. Please don’t freak out. I am not sure if I want to keep it, but I don’t know if I want to forget either.”   
They considered the painting. She was tall, Rapunzel had painted her life-sized, her arms outstretched like she was ready to give a hug, it was the one way she wanted to remember Mother, ready to give love. 

He was mouthing the word no, finally, “But I’ve seen that person.”

“What!?” shouted everyone.

“When we were searching for you I saw her, I met her as I was tracking down a lead on a blonde child. I found her in a broken down pub in the forest. She claimed to be just passing through to King Stefan’s kingdom. I remember her, because she was quite comely and very scared of all the guards and hubbub from the kidnapping. I didn’t check the baby since she was obviously not even close to the look of the kidnapper. “

He fell to his knees in front of Rapunzel, “Your Highness, I’m so sorry, I was so close to you, I could have saved you and spared you so much pain. I failed you, I’m so sorry.” He began to sob into her skirts.

Rapunzel was completely shocked by all this. She had no idea how to react, but she tried to help. “Please, it’s okay. I’m home now, please, stop crying.”

King Leonard came around to be next to his faithful Seneschal. “Mortimer, it’s okay. It was an impossible task, you couldn’t have known that the kidnapper could change her very age. That she would look so different. Someone get a copy of the wanted poster.”

One of the Lock Guard removes a copy from his pocket and hands it to the king. “Thank you.”

He unfolds it and holds it in front of his faithful Seneschal. “Look, Mortimer, look! This is the face of the kidnapper that we saw, old and wrinkled with sunken eyes. She only vaguely looks like this wanted poster. She is obviously not old. Please, Mortimer, don’t blame yourself for something you couldn’t control.”

“But sire, I was within arms length of your stolen daughter,” tears streamed down his face. “All I had to do was reach out and flip back the blanket and she would have been safe.”

“No, she wouldn’t have been. You’d be dead.” Eugene spoke up, grimly. 

Everyone looked at him now, as he leaned forward. “The kidnapper would have killed you and all your men too and everyone else in that pub, to keep Rapunzel.”

“But…” started Mortimer.

“BUT, I fought her!” Overrode Eugene, standing, planting his fists on the table.   
“I fought her and lost every time.” Eugene stabbed a finger onto the table.  
“I don’t care how many men you had with you; you and they would have died. I was the greatest thief in the kingdom, she also defeated the Stabbington brothers, two of the strongest toughs in the kingdom.” 

“Starting with nothing more then a satchel with a crown and a wanted poster in it. She found us, turned the Stabbington brothers to her purposes and then twisted everything we did, so that Rapunzel wanted to go back to the tower, and the Stabbington brothers and I would be hanged for our crimes.” Eugene strode over to the painting and gazed at it for a moment, feeling his hate of her flowing through his veins. Then he turned savagely back to the Seneschal.

“If it wasn’t for good, smart Maximus and the Pub Thugs, her plan would have worked and the only evidence that she had been involved would have been a whiff of her perfume on the bodies. She was a terrifying opponent because I didn’t even know I was fighting her. Had you turned back that blanket, you and your men would be dead and Rapunzel would still be in her power. You, sir, are the luckiest man I have ever met.”

Mortimer wasn’t exactly sure how to take that compliment.

“He’s right, “ said the King. “We’ve put more wanted posters out for her then even Flynn Rider, she was the only other person to breach the palace defenses and we know she was a formidable opponent. I, for one, am glad you are still with us.” 

“Mortimer, I knew you cared for us and her, but I never knew how deeply that went. Thank you,” said the queen, with a sweet grateful look on her face.

The king held out his hand to help his good, faithful Seneschal up. “Come, let’s have the morning report. We have a big day ahead of us.”


	54. The Apple Basket

“What are you doing here, Rapunzel?” asked Eugene kindly as he found Rapunzel in the palace garden, leaning on a tree. It would be dinner time soon and he was looking for her, since she hadn’t been in her room. The guards knew where she was of course, but they wouldn’t tell him that classified information.

“Listening to the wind in the leaves. Each tree sounds so different. I never really heard the wind in the trees before. There was a loose tile on the tower above my bedroom, which whistled in the wind. I bothered me for years. Once when Mother was gone, I went and climbed onto the roof and fixed it, but then ...I missed the whistle.”

Rapunzel looked up at him, her big green eyes looking so sad and wistful, remembering the whistle of the wind on the tower, it broke Eugene’s heart for some reason. He put his arm around her and held her close. 

“You are my new dream.”

“And you are mine.”

They shared their alternative to ‘I love you.’

“I miss the tower. It was nothing more then my prison, but I miss it so much. I knew where everything was. I knew what to do. I knew what came next. Now, I know nothing. I feel so scared and lost. And I lost the apple basket, I have no idea where it could be, I don’t even know where I could have left it, the palace is so big. I keep expecting Mother to yell at me and punish me for losing it.” Rapunzel said, holding tight onto Eugene, it sounded like she was about to come apart. He could feel her shaking.

“She’s dead, mother is dead! She can’t punish you anymore!” Eugene took Rapunzel by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, as he said those words forcefully. 

He hated having to call the kidnapper ‘mother’ but there wasn’t another name for her. 

As an orphan he knew how powerful that word could be, he hadn’t used that word since his own mother had died while cooking dinner. He knew the queen was having a rough time with it too. It was amazing how expressive those big green eyes could be. The kidnapper was dead, but the effect of her still loomed large in Rapunzel’s and her real family’s life.

“I know, I keep telling myself that, but I keep feeling it. I wish I had the basket back, it was something from the tower, and something mine. Nothing really feels mine here. All I have is my dress and that little banner you gave me on my birthday. Thank you for being here.” said Rapunzel more calmly, hugging him tight and laying her head on his chest.

Eugene hugged her tightly. He was noticing a pattern and something about it was bothering him. If he was loud to Rapunzel when she was getting uptight she’d calm down and be alright. That concerned him. He wanted to love her, but something Gothel did to her, seemed to have made her need someone to be mean to her from time to time. Maybe it was all the overstimulation of the Return of the Lost Princess, thing were outright insane right now with all the people she had to meet and things she had to do. He was exhausted all the time and he knew she was too. Hopefully, it was just because she was tired, but it was something he needed to keep an eye on. He’d better tell her parents. Once this was all over and her schedule was easier to control hopefully it would go away. He tilted up her chin and kissed her.

“Your Highness, …Mr. Fitzherbert. It’s time for dinner,” said Margaret the maid. Eugene wanted to sigh, the staff had no real idea what to do with him or even what to call him. Dinner was nice, it would just be family and himself, which made it easier for Rapunzel. Lunches tended to be large state affairs with lots of people to meet and not much time to eat. 

As they walked to the family dining room Eugene remembered something. Margaret had been the maid that was in the Testing Chamber. It had only been a few days ago, though it felt like a lifetime, maybe she knew where the basket was?

Keeping his arm around Rapunzel, he was able to catch Margaret’s attention over Rapunzel’s head and she seemed to get the idea to wait for him, but there was a question on her face. 

The king and queen were just coming too, so Eugene handed his true love off to her parents as he hung back with Margaret.

“Margaret, when we first came here you were in the Testing Chamber. We had a basket with apples in it and now Rapunzel is worried about having lost it. Do you know where it is?” Eugene asked quietly.

Margaret’s eyes started to scan back and forth as she tried to remember. She had Testing Chamber duty this month, but since the Return of the Lost Princess hadn’t been back there. Her real job was to attend and protect the princess. 

“I’m not sure, but it should still be there. Why?”

“Rapunzel is worried about getting punished for having lost it. She won’t be, but I think Rapunzel is getting homesick for the tower. We came with the just the clothes on our backs and that basket. Even just that one thing might help her feel better.” Eugene looked pensive.

“Of course. I’ll go look.”

“Thank you. I think it would mean a lot to her.” Eugene turned into the dining room. 

Margaret waited for the door to finish closing and then took off running down the corridor, she liked to run, especially if it would help the princess. The Testing Chamber was way over in the public part of the palace, near the plaza. The family dining room was part of the private wing of the palace by the gardens.

She had been remiss not going back and cleaning up but now it seemed like that might have been a good thing, hopefully no one had gone in to clean it. It was one of the few spaces dedicated to the Lock Guard and Maids for protection and cleaning, so it should be undisturbed.

It had been so exciting that this one was the true Lost Princess, and she had been there for it. It had felt so wonderful seeing the royal family together again. Not that she was old enough to remember them being together. 

Catching herself on the door, she stopped, checked her three knives on her hips and the small of her back, to make sure they hadn’t come loose. She slowly opened it and looked in. Everything looked like it had been when they left to go meet the king and queen. A slight layer of dust had fallen, but she didn’t see a basket right away.

She moved into the room, carefully looking around. The Seneschal’s desk was askew, the chairs still pushed out. She looked back by the door where her husband Mark had stood watch, but no basket there either.

Margaret wanted to find the basket. That something so simple could help make her princess happier would be a wonderful thing. But where was it? She didn’t know what it looked like, but there wouldn’t be any other baskets in here.

She saw the scissors on the floor, she remembered the Seneschal dropping them as he realized that this was truly the Lost Princess Returned, just before he crashed to his knees. After all these years of false princesses she had come home on Margaret’s first day as a Lock Maid attending the Testing Chamber. 

She had remembered just standing there with her mouth open, which had not been an appropriate response. Someone could have hurt the princess.

Five years of training. The duties of a maid were easy enough to learn, the cooking and sewing weren’t hard either. Though she now knew how to start from a sheep and a tree and could make a fancy dress from scratch, using her knives, her needles and her wits. She could cook just about anything and make it good and delicious, she’d gone so far as to always keep a small box of salt on her person at all times, she didn’t carry a lot of extra but just some of the hard to make things. She could even put one of her knives in a kidnapper’s left eye at ten meters, every time. She was supposed to be ready for anything.

But the rest had been much harder: escape and evasion, close quarters combat with knives and without, knife throwing, tracking, among other skills. She could and would protect the princess even at cost of her own life, the princess would never be lost to them again, but only after she got the princess, king and queen away. 

The Lock Guard would give their lives so the Lock Maids would have the time to get the royals away. 

She accepted that when she had married Mark. He was willing to die so the princess and she might live. And she would die next, if it would keep the royals safe. So they enjoyed each other as much as they could right now, just in case.

Margaret bent for the scissors and saw something almost hidden between the chairs: a basket!

Putting the scissors on the desk, she picked up the basket. It was a rounded reed and grass basket with a light brown muslin liner. Looking inside; it was filled with apples! 

She had found it! 

The apple basket her princess thought she had lost. That should help make her princess feel better. She wanted to dance with happiness, but she was on duty, it would have to wait until they got home. Maybe some knife throwing games with Mark, she smirked.

Margaret had gotten quite a bit of status because she had been the one in the room when the princess proved who she was. After learning the princess had been alone in a tower with the kidnapper for 18 years, Captain Taygon had assigned Mark and herself as the princess’ primary protection. They were the closest thing to a familiar face they could give her, and somewhat close to her age, and she was going to do her best for her princess. 

She had doubled her practice time with her knives. She’d be the best protection she could for the princess. Mark had been pushing himself in daily training too.

She stopped by Captain Taygon’s office to tell him about the basket, which he made a note of. 

“Good work. We’re trying to find the tower. There are two pairs looking right now, but the forest is pretty dense near the Snuggly Duckling. They are still looking,” said the Captain of the Lock Guard.

“You can talk to Eugene. He was the one who told me she was worried about the basket.” 

Captain Taygon considered this. The king had told him Eugene could be trusted, and after hearing the test the king put him through, considered it possible, but maybe the test had been too obvious. Though he had changed the guard assignments for Eugene as the king had asked, but adding extras to where he would be. 

Asking to find the basket put an interesting twist on the matter. The basket held no value whatsoever, except it was important to the princess. Maybe Eugene Fitzherbert was a different man from Flynn Rider, and in more then name.

It looks like Eugene has won someone else over. He still had his doubts, people have changed their lives completely but those were the exception, not the rule. It was just too early to be sure. It would take months, maybe years, to be sure. So he had to keep faith in his doubts but not let them control him. Eugene deserved a chance, just one.

The Captain of the Royal Bodyguard was revising the Plan yet again. It wasn’t a surprise that they hadn’t anticipated this, who locks a child away in a tower their whole life. Well, there were a very few cases they had found. Children locked away or otherwise raised alone. 

Frankly, the biggest surprise was that the princess was so normal. 

All the others were feral or insane from loneliness. He knew the court librarian liked his quiet duty. Maybe the princess was like him. He’d have to talk to the court librarian about how he lived his life. He scribbled a note to himself.

He looked at the wall map. He also wondered about King Stefan’s daughter, they were in the next kingdom over. She had been cursed by a witch and sent into hiding with three fairies. That kingdom was very large with plenty of crown land to hide in, hopefully she would be okay. She would be Returning in about 6 months. Maybe he’d better tell them of what they’ve learned with Princess Rapunzel, what kind of name is that for a princess? But only a few days of data is not enough yet. Things are not normal right now with the celebration and greetings and everything, they’d learn more as things calm down. He couldn’t worry about every princess in the world, though sometimes it felt like he tried to.

“Thank you, Margaret, I’ll take that into consideration.” Said the Lock Captain looking back at Margaret.

With a nod, Margaret continued to the princess’ chambers. She didn’t think it necessary to interrupt dinner over a basket of apples; they were still good, she checked, as she left them on the table next to the princess’ bed.

Later, as the Royal family and Eugene were bring the princess to her room for bedtime, she saw the basket and with shaking hands and tear-filled eyes, picked it up and hugged it. 

It was one of only three things Rapunzel could really call hers in the palace, everything else was so new and different.

Then, squealing, launched herself at Eugene and said, “Thank you, how did you find it?”

“Actually, I didn’t. I asked Margaret if she could and it looks like she did. Thank you, Margaret.” Eugene gave all the credit to the one who did the work.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Princess Rapunzel bouncing over to give Margaret a hug. The king and queen looked surprised; slightly confused, but happy too.


	55. Little Rapunzel Snaps Her Spine

Mother Gothel’s eyes popped open and looked into the darkness that filled the night wrapped tower. She had been asleep in the nook under the stairs, it gave her easy access to the bathroom.

Had she heard something or was it just a dream? She heard nothing but silence.   
Why was her heart pounding? The window was locked for the night, the tower was safe and secure, wasn’t it? She wondered.

Then she heard a sound that tore into the heart of any human, the weak whimper of a child in the extremes of pain. 

“Rapunzel? Rapunzel, are you okay?” Gothel called.

“Mom-my,” came a weak reply; it was close, not upstairs.

Gothel peered into the darkness, there was moonlight, but the shutters were closed, she flung back her blanket and lit a candle. She turned and her heart froze.

There, at the bottom of the stairs was little 5-year-old Rapunzel laying in a heap, a tangled pile of golden hair, pink limbs and lavender nightie. One leg trailed up the stairs still wrapped in long, golden hair. Her great green eyes were filled with pain and tears.

Gothel flew across the room and knelt next to her flower. “What happened, flower?”

“Mommy, I needed to go potty, but I fell down. Mommy, it hurts.” Tears streamed down her face.

“I know, pet. What did I tell you about going out of your room when it’s dark?” Gothel patted her little girl’s head. She had to learn to obey. 

“To not to. I’m sorry, Mommy. Please, don’t punish me. Mommy, I’m hurting, but I can’t feel my legs.”

Gothel’s hand froze as it stroked Rapunzel’s hair. In all her centuries of life, she had seen this happen several times. Usually they died right away, but sometimes, just sometimes they lived for months and once even years, but they just couldn’t stand or walk anymore. 

She knew that Rapunzel’s hair could heal even this, but if she didn’t heal her she would never be able to leave and she would have to stay here forever.

“Mama, I heed herts?” came in a soft, slurred voice. Rapunzel’s big, beautiful green eyes rolled back in her head and she began to spasm uncontrollably.

“Oh, no, flower? Pet! RAPUNZEL!?” Gothel gathered Rapunzel into her arms and began to sing as fast as she could, as she raced Death himself:

“Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine…”


	56. Eugene and the Leap of Faith

Things were getting out of hand for Eugene, as he took a moment to stand near a window as a whole bunch of important people milled around the cream colored room. Their shoes clacking against the marble floor tiles.

Staying near Rapunzel was wonderful, but there had been so many people to meet, ceremonies and things going on, it was all starting to mush together in his head. He was glad for the Seneschal that made sure they were all in the right place at the right time. Not that just being with Rapunzel wasn’t distracting enough; then there were all the drinks people were buying him.

Here they were for … some important something or other. Whatever! It didn’t matter! He grimaced at himself in the window. Rapunzel was the important thing to him right now, his face softened as he saw her in the reflection. She was beautiful in a long-sleeved, light-blue gown that brought out her eyes. 

They had dressed him in a ridiculous outfit with a big red sash, but he didn’t care about what he was wearing. 

She’d be talking about some chore she had done in the tower and he’d be enraptured, his eyes lingering on the curves of her face. They’d be sitting across from one another at a state lunch and he’d get lost in those enormous eyes, he could hear Flynn Rider off gagging in some far off corner of his mind, and he didn’t care. 

But it was embarrassing when the person next to him started sniggering when his side of the conversation got lost in those big, beautiful green eyes.

He wanted to get her alone just to talk, but there was no time that he could carve out for themselves. He even thought about climbing the balcony and roof but there were guards everywhere now. Those Lock Guards always seemed to know where he was.

He could leave for a little while, but it was painful to be apart from Rapunzel anymore. He didn’t know why.

He couldn’t resent her parents wanting all the time possible with their daughter, and she needed her quiet times to rest. They all needed quiet time to rest, but Rapunzel even woke up screaming from naps, if they weren’t careful.

He thought he was good with people, but meeting hundreds, if not thousands of people every day for nearly a week was making his brain melt. At least the king and queen needed some quiet time too. He didn’t feel so bad about napping himself.

And the dancing, he’d never danced so much in his life. It seemed if there were more then ten people about and music there was dancing within a few minutes of Rapunzel coming into the room. He’d fall into bed exhausted and be up at dawn to comfort Rapunzel’s nightmares. 

Those were beginning to concern him. 

Heck, they concerned everyone, even the kitchen staff, who were spiking her food with all sorts of herbs and spices that were supposed to relieve nightmares. Ever since his little talk with the Queen he’d been watching what she eats with greater attentiveness. He appreciated what they did. As an orphan he learned there was a big difference between what someone said and what someone did.

Eugene desperately needed to talk with Rapunzel. He wanted her alone, since it was probably going to be intensely personal, but he didn’t think that was going to happen anytime soon, not between her parents, officials, guards and maids. He had wanted to try talking at breakfast, but the Seneschal had his breakdown over that picture of ‘mother.’ 

How he loathed the kidnapper! Everything she had done had been an attempt to break Rapunzel’s heart, crush her soul, and kill him, and she succeeded! 

One last drop of magic had saved him at the last, but still. What was worse was how she had treated Rapunzel. When he had told Blondie that she needed to break her mother’s heart and crush her soul, he had never meant anything like this and yet, the more he heard of her backstory, the more literal it became. Her ‘mother’ was actually doing those things to Blondie. 

The worst part was he could remember what she said after she had stabbed him, “Look at what you’ve done, Rapunzel.” She still had the dripping knife in her own hand and she dared blame Rapunzel!

Rapunzel had loved ‘mother,’ maybe even still did, that painting bothered him a whole lot, with her smile and outstretched arms. He had gone through a lot of work to sneak that painting kit into Rapunzel’s room. Well, not exactly sneak, not with a platoon of guards all over him all the time, but a surprise gift for her. 

He’d seen how the tower was decorated and that was an obvious gift. He was glad that she had started painting her room, but that picture of ‘mother,’ ...it bothered him. Well, it least it spent all of it’s time behind a drape. 

But what was bothering him most right now was that he really wanted to talk to Rapunzel about her leap of faith at the dam. He had never even thought of letting her fall. True, he wasn’t in love with her yet at the time, though admittedly, he did have a fascination for her, which had started as soon as she had stepped out of the shadows back in the tower, all glow-y in the light of the sun.

But Eugene felt guilty. He had betrayed his accomplices, the Stabbington brothers, just minutes earlier that day. He had done his best to scare her back to the tower so he could get his satchel back. She had known that trusting Flynn Rider was not something to do lightly. Even he himself told her that was a bad idea. 

And it gnawed at him.

When he had become Flynn Rider, sure he was a thief, but he tried to be noble and honorable. That didn’t last very long. If you could steal from a person you could certainly lie to them, and it had spiraled down from there. The Stabbington brothers had been right to demand the satchel before giving him a boost up that cliff, Flynn Rider couldn’t be trusted.

Eugene Fitzherbert wanted to be trusted, he wanted to be known as a man of his word. That is why he had asked for justice from the King the night they came back, though he was still relived that they had come up with the Jubilee to solve that problem.

Here he was watching Rapunzel talking to some well dressed men and women, he couldn’t remember what group they represented anymore, it was all becoming such a blur, about the only thing he was sure of was they weren’t the lollipop guild.

He spied an open love seat by another window and noting a lull in the conversation, smoothly excused the Princess from the group. 

“Where are we going?” asked Rapunzel with a curious smile, her warm hand finding his on her waist. 

“Not far, Goldie, just over here.” said Flynn. “I just think we need a second off our feet,” and gently placed her on the love seat and sat next to her. 

“Why do you call me Goldie? My hair is brown now.” The beautiful princess asked.

“You still have a heart of gold. Its just... its been days since we’ve had any time to talk, and I don’t know when we’ll have a chance again and I just need to talk to you,” said Eugene earnestly.

“Um, okay,” this intensity was a little disconcerting coming from Eugene.

“This is not really the place I want to do this, but I can’t stand it anymore,” Eugene paused for a breath.

“Yes...” prompted Rapunzel. “What was he up to?”

“At the dam when you had to jump, when I was holding your hair, you had to think before you did it. You had to decide if you could trust me. For some reason that’s been eating at me for these past few days.”

“But I did trust you, I did jump and you held me up.” Rapunzel said earnestly.

“Yes, but that is not the point. You are so wonderful. Flynn...I never considered letting you fall. You had just saved my life three times in the past ten minutes, and I was trying to scare you back to the tower.”

Rapunzel’s eyes filled with love for her thief. “Maybe, but you did save me from the Stabbington brothers by knocking apart that waterway, and then you gave me your real name and the idea I needed to give us the light we needed so you could dig us out of the cave.”

“I don’t want you to ever have to think if you could trust me again. I don’t want to be the kind of person who can’t be trusted,” said Eugene looking into those magnificent green eyes.

“Oh, Eugene. I do trust you,” said Rapunzel, she moved some of his hair off his worried face.

“I know you do, even if no one else does.” Eugene said miserably, looking away.

“I trust you,” said the King from right behind Eugene, who jumped.

“As do I,” said the Queen who came around to be behind Rapunzel, putting her hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

Eugene looked around, the whole room was silent, looking at them. He started to turn redder then Pascal, who was looking very red.

“Well, it looks like the new baron of Ellwangen and Prince Consort is getting a jump on his duties. How about we formally invest him with that responsibility?” Announced the King to the room at large, who cheered in response.

Eugene wanted to melt into the floor. He had completely forgotten, this was supposed to be when they made him a baron and the Prince Consort to the Princess.


	57. The Missing Sun Banner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmare: What if Eugene had not bought that little sun banner that clued Rapunzel into who she really was.

Eugene and Max were riding like the wind through the forest. Eugene could hardly believe it. The Snuggly Duckling gang had actually assaulted the prison to break him out, so he could save the girl. How amazing! He’d do anything for those guys and Max now.

Rapunzel had enchanted them all. She was a witch or enchantress, maybe she had put a spell on them to care for her, he didn’t care. He knew she was in trouble. And he was grateful for the chance to save her.

He wanted to buy that little sun banner for Rapunzel from the midget selling them in the kingdom but he had wanted to make sure he had enough for more chalk, it had taken a lot of chalk to do that big purple flower she had made.

Maximus the palace horse sailed over obstacles.

He also wanted enough for the boat ride so she had the best seat in the house for her special day. But what a disaster that had turned out to be. The Stabbington brothers had been on the shore and when he tried to give them the crown they revealed they knew about the hair. He had chosen them as partners in the crown heist, because they were strong, but did they have to hit so hard? At least, they didn’t break his nose.

Panting, Max came to a halt at the base of the tower. 

Eugene slid off Max and called, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Let down your hair.”

“No!” came Rapunzel’s reply.

“Please, you’re in danger. Your mother is going to hurt you.”

“Mother saved me from those ruffians you traded me to. Go away!”

“No, I didn’t. I was trying to give them the satchel so they would leave us alone.”

“You didn’t even look back when I called. They had a sack. Mother saved me. She’s the only one I can trust. Leave us!”

“Please, I love you.” Eugene called desperately, his heart breaking.

“I hate you! I am never leaving the tower again!” Rapunzel’s dress came fluttering down to the ground. Flynn and Max exchanged a look.

“Okay, okay. I’m going.” Eugene called desperately. He didn’t want her to promise to never leave the tower. That would be terrible. 

Eugene turned to Maximus. “Sorry, buddy, this isn’t turning out like I expected.” Eugene said quietly to Max, Max rolled his eyes, meaning it sure wasn’t.

After they had passed the vine curtain they paused for a few seconds to try and figure out what to do next. But then guards came pounding through the forest following their trail. 

“There he is!” Shouted the Palace Guard Sargent.

Max and Eugene took off running again. Eugene told Max that they could loose them in the swamp. Max was trying to stay ahead of the guards but that gallop had been the fastest he had ever run, on top of all the running around for the last three days and he was getting tired. They had to turn as they reached the cliff above the swamp.

A volley of arrows caught him in the side, one pinning Eugene to Max. With twin cries of pain they stumbled and slid over the side of the cliff into some quicksand. Max struggled valiantly trying to save Eugene again, an arrow had taken him in a lung and he was dying. A bloody froth on his lips. Eugene struggled to get free but the arrow had broken his leg and the bones gripped the arrow and held him in place.

“I’m sorry buddy, it wasn’t supposed to end like this. Thank you.” Said Eugene regretfully to his new friend, patting him on the neck.  
Max gave Eugene a look that said the same.  
Eugene could see the squad of guards watching impassively as Flynn Rider finally found justice.

As the quicksand covered his head, Eugene had a vision.   
The Stabbington bothers and the Snuggly Duckling gang would hang later that day, for their crimes.   
The king would die in a few months of a broken heart.   
The queen would marry another man, and would have to give him a concubine so the kingdom could have an heir, and she would have to raise their children as her own. She would die broken and alone.  
Rapunzel and mother would live in safety in the tower, because she never learned who she was, without the little sun banner; at least until it couldn’t contain the ever growing hair anymore. 

Rapunzel began to desperately call his name. 

Flynn Rider clawed for the surface.

# # #

Eugene Fitzherbert dragged the covers from off his face in the Green Bedroom, waking up at last. Rapunzel’s desperate scream waking him. He flung aside the covers and kicked the pillow from between his legs and staggered to the door. Wanting, needing to comfort his true love from her nightmares. Even as he dashed the tears of his own nightmare away from his eyes, as he limped down the cream colored corridor as fast as he could.


	58. Rapunzel’s Secret

Rapunzel had a secret she was keeping from her parents and Eugene, but it was out in the open where everyone could see it. There had not been much space in the tower to hide things, so she had gotten good at hiding things in plain sight.

She loved Eugene, so very much. She was so glad he had saved her from Mother. Making that terrible promise to Mother was the only way she knew to save him. He loved her so much, that he couldn’t allow her to keep that promise and so he cut her hair and she lost her power to heal. He had died to save her.

She missed her hair so often. There were so many people that were sick or injured and she couldn’t love them, heal them now and it broke her heart.

But it also changed her. 

She moved differently, she walked differently, but most especially she looked different. Looking into the mirror was an adventure of its own. She knew it was herself, but it was always a surprise first thing in the morning to see herself with short, brown hair. 

She couldn’t decide if she was pretty enough this way either. Even with Eugene saying he had a thing for brunettes. She wondered about asking him where he kept that thing, but she kept forgetting. Did cutting her hair effect her memory? That scared her so much sometimes.

She couldn’t hate Eugene for cutting it, he had no choice really, but there was certain wistfulness she had sometimes for her hair. The way it would fall behind her like a cape, she always thought that was a very defining look. Something special that was hers alone.

So she had painted herself as she had always looked in the mirror back in the tower. It was to show her parents what she had looked like, which was somehow so different. But her secret was in where and how she had painted it. 

It was across from her mirror,   
and if she stood in a certain place,   
she could see herself with her blonde hair streaming down behind her,   
and if she believed really hard,   
she could imagine she was herself again,

but her hand would still come back empty.


	59. Lost Things

With HookHand and the others staying in the palace, it was easy for Rapunzel to ask to have him play for some mealtime entertainment. 

It was still a wonder; they had assaulted the prison for her, to rescue the one person who knew where she was, on the word of a horse. They obviously loved her, and she them, but why couldn’t she say it to anyone? Why did Mother hurt her like that? Why were her feelings so complicated? 

Mama called them snakes, after finding one in the grass of the garden that made the point, even if it was just a harmless, little garter snake. It had surprised her and she had climbed all over Eugene again; Mama later told her about modesty and propriety.

Finally, things were winding down for the night and she sits next to Hookhand at the piano as he played a soft melody, after chasing Eugene out of the room with the opening chords of the Ballad of Flynn Rider.

“How have you been doing?” she asked.

“This has been great. I’ve been playing for all sorts of people and they’ve really loved it. It feels incredible all the time. I’ve never felt so good for so long ever.”

“That’s wonderful.” She smiled.

“Yes, it is.” Hookhand said fervently.

A few bars pass as he played.

“I never thought you were the Lost Princess. I guess it should be obvious now; the hair and those eyes. I can guess why Rider fell in love with you. Those eyes are a wonderful place to get lost in.”

She gave him a friendly punch in the arm. She had seen the other Pub Thugs do that, and now it seemed to fit.

“But you’re not here to make chit-chat, are you?” Hookhand asked seriously.

“How could you know?” The princess asked in surprise.

He waggled his hook. 

“I’ve had this for some time and when someone wants to talk about it, it’s obvious. So what do you want to know, how it happened or what it feels like? My guess, is how it feels?” he glanced at her hair.

She touched her short brown hair.

“Oh, well, yes, because it was such a part of my body …me. I did things with it opening doors, grabbing things from across the room, climbing and such. I barely recognize myself in the mirror. I keep grabbing for it, but its gone and it’s always a surprise. Like it shouldn’t be missing.” Rapunzel said out loud but inside she said to herself, ‘Why did it feel so frightening to say it out loud?’

“Yeah, that’s about right. I used to knock things over a lot because a hook doesn’t work like a hand and it felt all wrong. For a long time it still felt like the hand was there, it would even hurt. I don’t know why, that’s just the way it is.” He shrugged.

Rapunzel bit her lip, “Do you ever get used to it?”

“Sorta, I mostly don’t have to look to do things anymore, but sometimes I still do it the old way. I expect that hair will not be the same as a hand.”

“Maybe.” She still sounded worried.

“Hey, kid, you’re young and strong, you’ll adapt; we all do. Not much choice really.” HookHand said with a shrug.

“No, not much.” Rapunzel said sadly, she saw her parents gesturing her to come. 

“Thank you, that helped, and thank you for rescuing Eugene, so he could rescue me.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

A silly smile on HookHand’s face, as he kept playing, “Good night, Princess.”


	60. Making a Connection

Queen Rebecca found her daughter and Eugene on the plaza balcony; he was pointing at something out on the water. She gave her daughter a hug as Pascal padded over to her shoulder for some scratches, they had become friends; Pascal was very easy to talk to. She asked what Eugene had been pointing at; seeing nothing out there right now. 

”Oh, I was showing her where we were in the little boat when the lanterns went up. It was to supposed be the best day of her life and I wanted to make sure she had the best seat,” said Eugene.

The queen cocked her head and her eyes unfocused as she remembered back to that night. Comforting her dear husband just before the launch, coming outside and lifting the lantern free of its ribbons together, the plaza coming alive with lanterns, ships launching lanterns too and a little boat all alone on the water. 

“Yes, I remember, I thought it odd that there was a little boat out there all by itself. That was you?”

“Yes, it was. She almost capsized us when she saw the first one.” Eugene smiled and her daughter looked a little embarrassed.

The queen smiled. There were a lot of firsts for her daughter that day.

Rapunzel added, “It was so amazing and wonderful and beautiful. At one point the water was so still and the lanterns everywhere it was like being in the middle of a cloud of giant fireflies.” 

“There was one that came down and almost crashed into us. I remember it particularly because it had the sun sigil on it, I gave it a hand and tossed it way up into the sky.” She looked up, mimicking the movements she had made that night.

“Wait, it had the sun sigil on it, on the sides.” The queen asked excitedly.

“Yes,” they both said together, wondering why the queen was so excited.

“That was ours. The King and I have a special one made with the sigil painted on it, all the rest are plain.”

“So that means…”

“It was…”

Pascal covered his ears just in time for the glass-shattering squeals.


	61. A Lot Of Hair

It was a dark and stormy night, when they saw the glow lighting up the clouds coming from somewhere nearby in the forest. Vlad and BigNose were concerned that it was a forest fire and went looking, even though it had faded so quickly. The Snuggly Duckling was vulnerable to a forest fire and they didn’t want to loose it after inheriting it from old HookHand. It wasn’t as fun without him playing the piano but it was still a good hang out.

It was just getting light when they found the vine curtain fluttering in the breeze and rain was falling. Not being as robust as they used to be, they ducked inside to stay dry but found something beyond a cave to stay dry in.   
A tower and ...was that blonde hair that seemed to be hanging out of all the windows? As the rain let up, a woman in a red dress came down the hair. She tried to kill them when she found them; they might be getting old but they could still defend themselves. They left her body in the cave and went to the tower. After quite a bit of talking to the scared woman in the tower she came down to mourn her mother, and found that her magic, glowing hair could heal even death. 

BigNose thought that this was too important a gift not to share, and compelled them to go to the kingdom. The aged but still good, king and queen recognize her for who she was, which was so obvious to everyone once they were made young again by the woman with the magic hair, their daughter, the Lost Princess. There was a great celebration at her Return and the joy was multiplied a hundred times when she healed them all. 

She loved everyone so much, and they loved her more, and she loved them most. 

Then came the time of retribution. The kidnapper was given to the queen, and she would drink the kidnapper’s blood as the kingdom watched silently, and she would ask her daughter to bring the kidnapper back once she was done with her that day. Gothel screamed, Gothel pleaded, but after two weeks she would just beg the queen to please just hurry. 

After eighteen days the king put a stop to the daily ritual of drinking the kidnapper’s blood, as he put a large locked box down on the table nearby. 

It was his turn. 

He went through every page of his secret file. A few curious souls even kept notes on how well each worked. Gothel had found a certain solace in madness, something the hair couldn’t heal. Once he finished the box, they buried her alive, with a loop of hair around her ankles, so they didn’t have to hear her screams any more. 

People from everywhere came to be healed and Rapunzel loved them all very much, and they loved her more, and she loved them most. 

The hair had attendants to keep it clean and brushed as it grew and grew over the years and centuries. Rapunzel couldn’t leave her throne, there was just too much hair, but that was okay, because she loved them all very much, and they loved her more, and she loved them most. 

The minstrels sang so always the hair glowed and everyone was healed.   
The hair snaked throughout the palace and the kingdom; across the bridge and across the world. There was nowhere without the light and love of Rapunzel and her healing hair. Nothing died and nothing lived in the glow of the hair.  
Everyone wanted death but he was held back by the wonderful, terrifying power of the hair.  
No one had babies anymore because the price of living forever was so great.

 

The golden, glowing world spun in the darkness of space, destroyed because Rapunzel loved them all so very much, and while they all begged for death they loved her more, and she didn’t know how to stop loving them all most. Her smile; so beautiful; so terrible.

# # #

The king sat up bolt upright in his bed, the horror of what he had dreamed clawed at his throat, but he could hear the screams of his good and beloved daughter coming from next door and feel his wonderful wife rolling out of bed to comfort their little girl’s nightmare. He followed, but gave Eugene an extra hug and a thank you for cutting his good daughter’s hair.


	62. Rapunzel and the Blades of Grass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback: 13 yo Rapunzel's hair can reach the ground.

It was almost my thirteenth birthday and Mother was going Outside again, she does that a lot. Sliding down my hair to the ground. It was long enough now for her to go up and down, which was good, the rope she had been using was getting worn in places and I was beginning to worry for Mother’s safety, but I had to be sure to brace myself first, Mother was heavy. I watched her leave and gave her a wave just like we always did when she reached the Exit and then she was gone. 

I wish I could go through the Exit.

I unhooked my hair and just leaned out for a while looking at the sky, giving the cloud shapes names as my hair fluttered in the breeze, not that there was much of one today. The sky was always wonderful. I wave to some of my bird friends and we chat about seeds and the wind. 

I wish I could fly.

I had been so good these past weeks. There had been no punishments and Mother was happy. I was hoping that maybe she would take me to see the floating lights that would light up the sky tomorrow night. I’m not sure if I was brave enough to ask yet. Outside was so scary from what Mother said, but she was able to go Outside and safely return. 

I wish I was brave.

“Well, time to start on chores.” I said out loud to the birds gathered on my sill, who fly off. I wondered if I should start with the dusting or the moping just to shake things up, beginning to haul up my hair. But at the very end, caught in my hair, was something green.

I couldn’t believe it.

I had gotten something from Outside all by myself. I got something from Outside! 

I dropped my hair after dancing around and got down on the floor to just look at it. My hair could now reach all the way down to the ground. What a wonder that was by itself; but now, to have grass was amazing. 

I had asked Mother about the things I could see from the window, but this is the first time I had ever seen it up close. I just lay on my stomach, head on my hands, and looked at it for a while. How wondrous it was.

I stalked closer and slowly plucked them out of my hair. 

I cupped the seven grasses that I had in my hand and just looked at them. They weren’t exactly like anything else. They were like chives which Mother brought home occasionally, but chives were round and grass is flat. 

I wondered if you could eat grass, but after thinking about it, probably not. We had all that grass around the tower, but Mother never brought it up for cooking and eating. Mother said so much of Outside was dangerous. I didn’t want to poison myself by eating any to taste it.

I cupped the grass in my hands and brought them up to my face and breathed in. I sighed. It smelled just like the color green should. It was earthy without the sharpness of that chives had. It smelled round. Which I thought odd, because it was flat; I wondered if the smells had gotten mixed up somehow, chives smelled flat, but were round.

Running my fingertip up and down a grass let me discover something new, it was smooth in one direction, but rough in the other. 

Looking at it in the light I could see that there was something on the surface of the grass, but I couldn’t see well enough to tell exactly what it was. I wondered if it was like grass. From my tower I always thought that grass was sort of like the fabric of my dress, because it flowed in the wind like my dress did. Could there be a girl in a tower on this grass looking at yet more grass? 

I shivered at where that thought could go. I might explore it later, but first chores. 

I stuffed the grass into my pocket and quickly did my chores, being especially careful to brush my hair all clean again. Mother did not approve of dirty hair and I needed to be extra careful so the window wouldn’t be locked and I could see the floating lights. Mother would be home soon, and I wanted to keep the grass hidden from her, so I used my hair to climb where she cannot reach. She knew about the loose stair.

I wonder if the girl in the tower on the grass has as a good a Mother as mine. 

I wish I could talk to her.

# # #

“Rapunzel, let down your hair,” calls Mother with that endearing little sing-song at the end.

“Coming, Mother.” I called back, opening the window all the way.

I throw my hair out the window and get a good grip on the post beside the window as Mother climbs up. I keep a grip on my hair too, Mother is nice enough now not to jerk it or step on it; that hurts, a lot. 

She climbs in the window and lets go of my hair. I reel it in as she cries, “I was able to dodge some ruffians who wanted to put me in a sack and sell me as a slave. I got you a surprise. I got you colored chalks for your birthday. Happy Birthday!” She produces a box, which I open, it has a dozen thick, colored rods of a lightweight material. This is something new. I rub my finger on a green one and some of it gets on my finger. 

“Thank you, Mother. This is new.” I say fascinated, rubbing the chalk between my fingers it felt like flour only finer and, was it, sharper?

“I know you are running out of space on the walls. I don’t want you painting on the floor, but you can use chalk on the floor and it will clean up when you mop the floor.”

“Oh, okay. This is really nice.” I say happily, there are some possibilities in this chalk. It won’t be permanent like my murals, but it would be great to try out ideas that I am working on.

Mother has her arms out, I can have a hug! I flounce over and give her a hug, it’s been fourteen days since our last hug. I hold on tight, and our little ritual of love begins.  
“I love you, very much.”  
“I love you more.”  
“I love you most.”

I am so happy that I pleased Mother and she got me the chalk. She isn’t nice all the time, but then neither am I, though I try so hard. I love hugging her, I don’t get enough hugs sometimes. Hugging my pillow or Joey, my doll, isn’t the same. Pascal isn’t a good shape for hugging, either. Sometimes I pull my chair next to hers so my elbow or knee touches her, it isn’t as good as a hug, but it seems to help.

I wish I could get more hugs.

I experiment with the chalk. It isn’t very good at detail work, but I can cover a large area very quickly. It doesn’t mix like paint does, so I can’t change the colors I have. It also uses up fast. So I have to be careful, and not use too much all at once. There is never enough yellow to do a really good job on my hair. I don’t know if Mother will get more soon, so I try not to like it too much. 

I have an idea, but I need Mother to be gone. She mustn’t know about the grass. I’ve hidden it on the highest beam, where she can never get to. It will be safe there, but she needs to be gone so I can get it. She’d Punish me if she saw me doing something dangerous.

# # #

Mother sleeps well tonight. I oiled the hinges specially during chores today so she wouldn’t wake up. I watch the floating lights in the sky. 

How different they are from the stars! 

The stars move in certain predictable paths for the most part. I’ve watched at night, so many nights. I’ve even starting recording them on my walls. There are streaks often that are like stars sliding across the sky, but they are fast, not slow like the floating lights. The floating lights are something else. They move together, but not like birds. Some disappear and others keep floating. They all disappear eventually.

How I yearn to know what they are! 

I reach out, wanting to catch one, but I can’t reach, I’m too small. They feel important for some reason, but I don’t know why. They beckon to me, I want to step through the window, and to fly to them like my bird friends could. Someday. Mother hints we may leave the tower and explore Outside. I hope it will be soon, my heart aches to know what those lights are.

I wish I knew why the floating lights are so important.

But Mother won’t talk about them, she just thinks they are the stars. I wonder why, but I learned long ago not to ask certain kinds of questions again.

# # #

Mother’s gone for food again, finally. I know exactly what I want to do with the chalk. I will use up almost all of the green and I am hoping it will be worth it. I’ll get my dress dirty, but it is washing day tomorrow, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I might be punished, but it should only be a little one.

I go up to my room and open the window, I move my bed over some so I have a clear spot where I can look up and see the sky.  
I scribble a big green patch on the wooden floor and color on some flowers.  
Then I sit on it looking up through my window up into the sky.

I take the handful of grass from out of my pocket, they are turning brown around the edges, but I fix that with a song. I rub the seven blades of grass, which is all I have, around my toes and along my feet and ankles and legs. It tickles; I smile, but this is serious. I continue between my fingers and around my arms. Along my lips, cheeks and ears. I cup them to my nose and breathe in really deep. 

I lay back and throw out my arms and try to bring it together, all at once:  
With all my mind, I remember.  
With all my heart, I hope.  
With all my strength, I imagine.  
With all my might, I dream.

What lying on grass might really be like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Totally inspired by ‘Waiting and Wondering’ by ecila20 @ deviantart
> 
> The first thing Rapunzel does after getting out of the tower is to roll around in the grass and it was just like she dreamed it would be. How could she do that? Maybe like this. A little birthday present her hair got her.
> 
> Can you remember rolling in the grass? Can you imagine it now? Do you want to do it now?


	63. A Different Kind of Nightmare

It was dawn. 

Eugene poked his head out of his room and looked down the hall. The king and queen were doing the same. The guards looked back and the maid shrugged. 

It was quiet.

Could it be, wonder of wonders, Rapunzel not having a nightmare for once? Maybe the rosemary tea had taken effect or one of the other anti-nightmare remedies.

Together they padded quietly to Rapunzel’s room and the Queen put her ear to the door. Her face fell. She opened the door and Eugene could hear Rapunzel thrashing around on the bed and moaning. 

The Queen moved quickly to the bed and gave her daughter a shake. Rapunzel awoke with a gasp, “Oh, mama, it’s you,” and relaxed and gave her a hug.

“Another nightmare, dear?”

“No, not exactly. Just exhausting,” yawned Rapunzel, wincing as she stretched her shoulders. “Eugene and I were rolling around in the grass and flowers. It was a good dream, but then most of the nightmares don’t start out bad. I like rolling around in the grass.”

“When I was thirteen my hair could reach the ground and I pulled some up one day. It was so incredible to just smell grass and feel just a few leaves of it against my skin. I used to chalk some of the floor green with little flowers on it and try with all my might to imagine what grass felt like. They are still in my tower, I have a secret place on top of the highest beam that Mother could never find. When I got out of the tower, rolling in the grass was the first thing I did; it was even better then I had imagined.” Rapunzel finished with a happy sigh.

“That sounds very nice, dear,” said her mama, with a gentle smile. Glad that her daughter had a memory that didn’t seem terrible for once.

Margaret, the Lock Maid, brought in a breakfast tray and everyone moved to the table. Pascal climbed up on Rapunzel’s shoulder as she straightened herself and the bed. Margaret helps her into a pink robe. The King and Queen were starting with jam toast and Eugene was working his way into a boiled egg. 

Rapunzel sat down, and Pascal padded down to the table snagging a grape, his favorite snack and matched its purple color. Watching Eugene spoon another piece of egg into his mouth, Rapunzel frowned slightly and asked innocently. ”Mama, does a dream mean something particular, if we weren’t wearing clothes?”

The Queen gasped. 

Eugene slapped his hand over his mouth, trying not to spit his egg across the table at the King, but it still looked like his eyes were going to bug out of his head.

The King jumped up. “Well, now, I-ah-have a meeting with the, um, Captain of the Guard about pying frans, um, frying pans. Eugene, why don’t you come with me?” He said in a high-pitched voice, as Eugene nodded enthusiastically, while turning a bright shade of red. 

Pascal turned an alarmed shade of red as they bustled out.

“Mama?” Rapunzel asked in a scared voice, her hand fumbling at her shoulder, leaning toward mama for reassurance. She’d done a bad, again, but wasn’t at all sure what it was, but it seemed so terrible.

Queen Rebecca puts a hand on Rapunzel’s bruised arm and gives her a gentle smile. “It’s all right, dear. You just surprised us is all, this is something we women do need to talk about ...alone.”


	64. The Queen’s Library

“This, dear, is my library. You may come here to visit me, but please knock and wait for me to let you in,” said the Mama to her miracle baby as she showed Rapunzel her private space.

“It’s my private space, a place I come to to rest, think about the hard questions, for quiet contemplation, and ...other things.” Rebecca skirted around the crying, the screaming and the throwing things she does here too. 

“Yes, Mama.” Rapunzel said, but her eyes were on the books. It was a small room with just a couple of cases of books. It wasn’t overwhelming like the main palace library, but she could feel it a little in her knees and her loins, the thrill of knowledge. Running her fingers along the spines of the leather bound books, that old book smell lingering on her finger.  
“What’s this?” Asks Rapunzel, seeing a stone obelisk standing on the far wall of the little room.

“That is an obelisk, it tells the story of a great sultan from ancient Agraba, a kingdom far away, in the desert,” explained Rebecca.

“What’s a desert?” Asked Rapunzel.

“It’s a kind of land with very little water and lots of sand.”

“How do you read the story? I don’t see any words, just little pictures, but not like the ones I make.”

“It’s in a different language and it is written in hieroglyphics, which is quite different from the letters and words we use.”

“How many different languages are there?”

“Oh, hundreds, maybe thousands.”

“Can I learn them?”

“Maybe, there are a lot of them and it takes time to learn a new language.”

“Oh.” Rapunzel wondered why, talking to animal friends was very easy to pick up. She took a step to one side of the obelisk, to see more of it and stepped on something sharp.  
“Ouch!” She hopped on one foot, putting an arm out, trying not to fall over.

“Are you okay?” Queen Rebecca caught the arm of Princess Rapunzel to steady her. 

Rapunzel hopped over to the nearby seat, sat down and they looked at the bottom of her bare foot. A small curved piece of porcelain fell off of her heavily callused foot. There was a small red mark on her foot, but the shard had been pointy side down; Rapunzel had not been injured. 

Rapunzel picked it up and looked at it. She saw her Mama look guiltily at the pile of plain white dishes on the small table on the other side of the tiny room.

“What is it, mama?” Rapunzel asked, there was something about this that was important to her Mama, but what? Mother had done so many things to her and she had learned to read a person so carefully, so she wouldn’t be punished.

Queen Rebecca looked away from her daughter to think for a moment, then Rapunzel’s mama sighed. “I did that.”

Rebecca settled herself a little. “So, the truth about why that was there. Sometimes, I come to this place for reasons other then to read and think. I come to vent my emotions. I get angry at the way “mother” treated you, so I come here to scream and throw things. Those dishes over there, at the obelisk. It seems to help a little, for a little while.” Mama said with an embarrassed shrug.

“I know one of the problems you are dealing with is the fact that “mother” lied to you, your whole life.” Rebecca looked at her baby and took her hands in her own, “And I don’t want you to have to deal with that from me. I will always tell you the truth. I promise.” 

Rapunzel’s eyes widened in surprise. Rapunzel was touched to her heart. Her Mama knew what she was trying to deal with. The central fact of who she had always thought she was, was a lie. The one person she had known and had loved and trusted had lied to her so completely, she could barely understand truth.

“You are my sunshine.” And the way Rebecca said it, Rapunzel could feel the love from her Mama, and nodded back, not sure she can talk, because of the tears in her eyes.

So many people were telling Rapunzel they loved her, and every time they did there was a question in the back of her mind in Mother’s voice that asked if that was just another lie to keep her here and it hurt.

Sometimes she felt like she needed to run away, but not back to the tower. That had been nothing but a prison, though she missed it so much sometimes. But where else could she go? She wanted to be home, and she was sure this was it. Especially now.

“Thank you, mama. You’re my sunshine.” 

And they both felt the warmth of love in a hug.

Rebecca took her daughter by the hands again and began, “I know you are in love with Eugene and Eugene loves you, but Leonard has asked him to wait at least one year before the two of you get married, so we can get to know each other.” 

Rapunzel nodded, that actually made sense, and so little in her new home did, sometimes.

“Now, about that dream of yours…”


	65. Comfort

“Thank you, mama.” said Princess Rapunzel to Queen Rebecca.

“You’re welcome dear. I know you want to be the best princess ever, but it will take some time to learn everything you will need to be the great princess you can become. I’ll be giving you lessons on being a princess and the tutors will help with their specialties.” Rebecca put her arms around her daughter and hugged her close. 

Rapunzel’s arms were on her lap and it was too awkward to hug her back so she just leaned into her mama and tried to relax. She was so tense all the time. One of the things she had lost with her magic hair were all the little things she did to comfort herself, like worrying the hair near her shoulder. Her mama’s arms around her reminded her of another thing she did when things got to be too much and things had been too much for so long now.

“Mama, I miss my hair.” said Rapunzel, sadly.

“I’m sure you do. It takes time to adjust to such a big change. It’s only been a week and half.”

“I hope so. I trust you, if you say so. I just feel so tense. Back in the tower, sometimes I would spin around and wrap myself in my hair, then lie on the bed and that would relax me. I miss that particularly right now.”

Pascal padded out to her shoulder and nodded, affirming that Rapunzel did that, though sometimes accidentally, like when she practiced her ballet.

Rebecca began rubbing her baby’s shoulders and thought for a moment, putting her chin on her daughter’s head, what her daughter was describing sounded somewhat familiar. “Oh, I know! You like to be swaddled.”

“What is swaddled?”

“It is something we do for babies to comfort them. We wrap them in a blanket and let them relax and sleep.”

“That sounds so good right now. Would you swaddle me, Mama?” asked Rapunzel desperate for some respite. There was so much to do as a princess and she was getting so tired. She would get overwhelmed so often, and have a breakdown. Mortimer was trying to keep her schedule easy, but no one really knew what her limits were and they were finding them the hard way.

“Okay, if it would make you feel better. Now is a good time for some quiet time anyway. Let’s go to your room.”

They walk from the queen’s sewing room to the princess’ apartment. Rebecca looked at the bed for a moment and then made a plan. She removed the blanket from the bed and had Rapunzel lay on the top sheet. Rebecca folded the near side of the sheet over her daughter then had her turn onto her side so Rebecca could tuck the other side under her nice and tightly. 

“How is that?” asked Rebecca as she helped her daughter unto her back again.

After a deep sigh of contentment, Rapunzel said with closed eyes, “Good. Thank you. Could I put my head on your lap?”

“Of course, dear.” Said Rebecca, giving her miracle baby a kiss on the forehead, stroking back the short brown hair. Rapunzel sat up with a little help, Rebecca sat on the bed and Rapunzel lay back again and closed her eyes. Rebecca stroked her baby’s short brown hair and cooed a lullaby for her as Pascal climbed onto her shoulder. Rebecca could see the tension leaving her baby’s face as she relaxed under her touch. After a while Rapunzel opened her big, green eyes that were filled with such depth, it touched Rebecca’s heart. 

“Mama, I lo-. I l-. I.... I’m sorry. You are my sunshine.” Rapunzel finished sadly, turning her head away. 

Rebecca turned her daughter’s head back so they could see eye to eye. “Don’t be. It isn’t your fault. We will get through even this. You are my sunshine.” 

Rapunzel could see the disappointment in her mama’s eyes and it made her insides twist. She so wanted to tell her parents and Eugene that she loved them. But Mother had totally and completely betrayed the love they had shared.   
When she had thought she had been left on the beach by Eugene, she had finally learned what it was like to have her heart wrenched from her chest. Mother’s betrayal had ripped the entirety of her insides out her of her body. Eugene’s death had pulled even the will to live out of her. Rapunzel knew that her parents loved her, they had shown her that by sending up the sky lanterns every year. She knew that Eugene loved her; he had come back from death to be with her. Pascal was always there for her. But something at the core of her heart, the root of her soul was scared to love again. Afraid to love so deeply again, because it hurt so much when it ended.

“Would you stay with me, please?” Rapunzel pleaded. 

Rebecca smiled and nodded, got up and put a pillow under her daughters head. Pascal settled himself on the pillow next to Rapunzel’s head while Rebecca settled into the chair by the bed, and picked up the latest book her daughter was reading. Before Rebecca could finish the first page, Rapunzel was asleep.


	66. Abusing Hair Power

Rapunzel had fought too hard, Mother had surprised her and jumped her from behind, but she had fought and lost. She had never fought before and she didn't want to hurt Mother. Mother was under no such constraint.

Mother had not just gagged and chained her to the hearth but she had chained her ankles and brought them up and tied them to her wrists. Rapunzel was totally helpless, the cold metal biting into her skin.

When Eugene came she had some hope of being rescued. Then Mother had tossed out her hair and he had climbed up, while Mother hid.

“Rapunzel, I thought I lost you.“ Eugene called as he saw her, before realizing she was helpless.

And when he was inside Mother struck right to his heart. Eugene fell dead.

“No!“ Rapunzel screamed through her gag.

“Our secret died with him, and we now will vanish.“ Mother said as she stepped over the cooling body.

“This can't be happening!” Rapunzel screamed in her mind. “I have got to get to him! I HAVE to GET to HIM!”

And then something new happened, her golden locks responded to her thought. She was picked up and set down next to Eugene's body.

“What is this?“ said Gothel her dagger ready.

Then Rapunzel understood, all those times when she had snagged something with her hair it was obeying her, but it could do more. She didn't need to grab it and fling it herself; it could move itself. She willed it and a loop of hair removed her gag. Others wrapped around the pillar and banister to provide leverage and snapped the chains around her wrists and ankles. Rapunzel was powerful, more powerful then Mother had ever let her be. Stronger then she had ever known. Mother had sapped her of all she was for her own purposes.

Gothel was engaged by the end of her hair that was weaving and bobbing like a snake before her. Gothel didn't dare harm the hair, she needed it to live, but she couldn't put down the knife. Rapunzel thought and that problem was fixed. A separate loop of hair grabbed Gothel's dagger and drove it into the wood beside the window, all the way to the hilt. Loops of hair wrapped tightly around Gothel.

“Rapunzel there is no need to get upset.” Gothel tried to sound reasonable.

“Stop It! You keep trying to control me, to break my heart, to crush my soul. All these years you've been torturing me!“ Rapunzel yelled.

“Please, Rapunzel. All of this was to protect you.“

“You just wanted to use me for my power!“

“Please Rapunzel, don't do this. I love you very much.“ Gothel’s last best ploy.

“You never loved me! I! HATE! YOU!“ Rapunzel screamed with all her breaking soul. Which was the last thing Gothel ever heard as the hair tightened with a crunch.

Rapunzel collapsed in tears.

The hair gently placed Gothel's body in the window seat and covered her with her blanket and then brought Eugene before her. 

Eventually, her tears slowed and stopped, and she saw her new dream dead before her.

With everything lost, with despair beyond tears, and more to comfort herself then anything else, she sang. “Flower, gleam and glow…“ as she ran her fingers over his cooling face. The power of her hair flowed down from her head and down its length, until it reached Eugene. The wound glowed and healed, he began to breath and as she finished the song he opened his eyes.

“Rapunzel?“

“Eugene?“

“What happened, Goldie?“

With a cry of joy and using both hands she grabbed him by the collar and kissed him.

She broke the kiss to take a breath and Eugene asked, “How did we get up here?“ They were up in the rafters being upheld by her golden locks.

“Oh, I'm sorry, I was just so happy.“ she said in a sing-song voice as she gently lowered them to the floor. “I found out a couple of new things about my hair. I can control it with my thoughts, and it can even cure death.“

“Death?“

She played with the hole in his shirt. “Eugene, Mother killed you, she stabbed you in the heart. I was singing over your body to comfort myself and then you started breathing again. You're alive.“ She continued in that sing-song voice.

“Where's Mother?”

Rapunzel looked into the nook. “I, I killed her. She killed you and I just wanted to get to you, she had me bound hand and foot I so couldn't move or anything, but I had to get to you and my hair picked me up and set me next to you. Once I understood that, I broke my chains, and confronted her, I was so angry, and I killed her.“ 

Tears were flowing down her face. She stumbled to the bed. “I could heal her now you know, bring her back. I could heal her. Apologize even. But she wouldn't love me, I don't know how to make her love me. But I guess it doesn't matter. She isn't my mother.“

“What?“

Rapunzel stood up and turned around, she was backlit by the nook window, tentacles of hair looked like they were glowing again as they floated above her in the air. “I am the Lost Princess. My real parents are the King and Queen of Corona.“

“Oh, wow. So I guess we should go let them know,“ said Eugene, uncertainly.

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea. I would like to stop at the Snuggly Ducking, all those thugs need a healing, especially dear HookHand.“ She said in a sing-song voice.

“Well, you won't find them there. They’re probably all stuck in prison, they broke me out so I could rescue you. Maximus galloped all the way here.” Eugene explained.

“Well, I can fix that too.“ Rapunzel said in that sing-song voice that worried Eugene so much.

“Goldie, how are you feeling?“ Eugene asked, concerned.

“Oh yes, I've never felt stronger or more powerful. I can heal anything. Well, I don't know how to fix a mind, but maybe I just need to find a different song.“ She sing-songed as she picked up Eugene, Pascal and herself and lowered them out the window onto Maximus, tendrils of her hair looping around the tower like a giant octopus to gently lower them. 

“Maximus! It’s so good to see you again. Oh, are your tired? Here, let me fix you.“ With a song and a glow Maximus was healed.

“I’m the Lost Princess too, isn't that wonderful? Would you take us home, please. I am going to heal them. I am going to show them that I love them very much and they will love me more and I can show them I love them most.”

“Yes, I will show them. I will show them all.“ Rapunzel decided in her madness and smiled as her hair braided itself into a shape more convenient for horseback riding.

Eugene shivered and it had nothing to do with the cloud passing in front of the sun. Eugene tells her of the Test of the Lost Princess, what he knows of it, as they ride to the palace.

“It’s alright. I’m sure to pass any test they have.” Rapunzel says in that unconcerned sing-song voice, her hair reaching out to pluck a flower that she wanted to smell and look at.

When they reached the bridge, guards called, “Flynn Rider! You’re under arrest!” but Rapunzel’s hair flung them into the water, as she continued to examine the flower. 

They eventually reached the palace doors, with a wary circle of guards around them.

“I am the Lost Princess and wish to be Tested.” Rapunzel called in that unconcerned voice of hers, still looking at the flower.

They entered the Testing Chamber and the Seneschal came with the Test and his scissors. The hair pinned him and the guards protecting him against the wall. 

“What are those for?” Asked Rapunzel in that unconcerned sing-song voice. 

“The Test is to cut your hair and see if it matches the Lock found in the crib, left by the kidnapper.” The Seneschal choked out. 

“Yes, that is what I feel in your hand, some of my wonderful, powerful hair.” Her hair reached out and gently took from his hand the vial and opened it and brought it close. 

Rapunzel revealed the brown lock of hair and said, “So Mother cut it, not the men with pointy teeth.” 

She began to sing to mourn the lock of hair, but her hair brought it close as her hair glowed and the Lock reattached itself and glowed and grew to match the rest of her hair. 

“Ah, I think that conclusively proves she’s the lost princess,” stated Eugene. The Seneschal agreed and was released.

They met her parents at the plaza balcony and they were so happy. And then they broke apart a little and Rapunzel said, “I love you very much.” 

“We love you too.”

“Ah, ah, ah. You’re supposed to say, I love you more.” Rapunzel chided.

The king and queen looked confused but said, “We love you more?”

“I love you most.” And she hugged them again with a big smile on her disturbed face.

“You look so old papa; mama. Here let me fix that.” Her hair wrapped itself around them and she sang and they were young. “See, I do love you most.”

“Yes, you do.” said the king in wonder, looking at his hands.

“Yes, I do. I want to show Hookhand and the others I love them most, too.”

So they went to the prison and she healed them. All of them. Hookhand said, “Thank you, so much princess,” as he wiggled the fingers on his new hand. 

“I love you very much.” 

“I love you, too, princess.” said Hookhand.

Eugene whispered, “Say I love you more.”

“I love you more?” asked Hookhand.

“I love you most.” The princess smiled beautifully.

As they walked through the prison they saw the Stabbington Brothers sitting in their cell. The hair reached through the bars and grabbed them lifting them from the ground.

“Oh, you’re the ones who wanted to put me in a sack. I don’t think I would have liked that. No, I wouldn’t have liked that at all. You were naughty boys and need to be punished.” The hair lashed them 50 times each.

“I love you very much,” she sing-songed.

“Drop dead, bitch,” said Dirk.

“No, no, no, NO, no. You’re suppose to say, I love you more.” chided Rapunzel, most reprovingly.

Lance, his eye patch askew, spit at her.

“Oh, it looks like I have to teach you a lesson,” said Rapunzel almost sadly, as the others looked at each other worriedly. 

Rapunzel was splattered with blood as the hair crushed them. Then she sang and they were all better. Their scars were gone and Lance had his eye back.

“I love you very much.” The princess said.

“No.”

A crunch, and blood shot from their mouths again, but another song.

“I love you very much.”

“We... love you... more,” was grunted out slowly and painfully.

“I love you most,” and the lost princess smiled through the blood as the hair put the ruffians down gently.

The blood soaked princess turned toward Eugene with a big smile on her tilted face, “I love you very much,” she sing-songed as the bloody hair slithered toward him.

# # #

Eugene Fitzherbert sat bolt upright in the Green Bedroom in the bed that looked like four trees that had grown together. Sweating and panting and wanting to throw up. Then he heard Rapunzel screaming and flung off the covers to go comfort her nightmare, which sounded even worse then his.


	67. Finding New Ways to Love

Rapunzel sat on the bench next to Hookhand, in a pretty green dress that matched her eyes, the arms long enough to cover her bruised and aching wrists. It’s been so nice to have him nearby for some reason. A familiar face in this wondrous new world she now lived in. The other PubThugs were staying in the palace too, having a pretty good time, though somewhat more reserved then they would have been in the Snuggly Duckling. 

Attila had made friends with the pastry chef in the palace kitchen, so cupcakes were part of most meals now. She set one on the piano for Hookhand so she could applaud as he finished an exciting show-tune medley. The king and queen were applauding politely, Eugene was a bit more enthusiastic, there had been no Ballad of Flynn Rider in this set. 

The other lunch guests, in the huge rectangular room, were applauding politely, they were beginning to get used to Hookhand throwing an ax at the accordion player to get him started. He could play so well, but he was so simple otherwise, they kept him chained so he wouldn’t wonder off and get hurt again. It was so sad, but Rapunzel didn’t know if her hair could have fixed that.

Hookhand stuffed the cupcake into his mouth and then drained his tankard. Rapunzel waited patiently. She needed to say something to him and she wanted his complete attention. There was so much to do and so little time for her to do anything she wanted, even with her quiet times. 

Rapunzel felt she had a minute now and so she was going to spend it on him.

She did not feel in control of her life anymore. It was all so overwhelming sometimes. It was like being swept down the river again, going where ever Mortimer said to go, to meet people she needed to meet, and doing things she needed to do, even if she had no idea what they were or why she needed to do them, or even how to do it right.

“So, princess, how are you holding up?” Hookhand was looking at her hands groping unconsciously around her shoulder. She was uptight about something, and he was wondering what it was.

Rapunzel noticed him looking and willed her hands to stillness in her lap. She took a breath and straightened her shoulders, then looked him in the eye.

“I wanted to say, I’m sorry,” she blurted.

“What for?” Hookhand asked. He couldn’t think of nothing she had done to him that needed an apology. She had done wonderful things for him, even allowing him to fulfill his dream, which he was doing right now. Why would he need an apology?

She reached out and put a hand shyly on his hook. “We met when I still had my magic hair. I’m sorry that I didn’t have a chance to heal you and the others. You could have had your hand back, but I didn’t take the time…” 

Hookhand could see the tears in her eyes as her words petered out and put his large, rough hand on top of her small, soft one. “Princess, I heard the king tell everyone what you were willing to do to save Flynn.”

“Eugene,” she corrected him, quietly.

“Eugene,” accepted Hookhand. “I would rather have lost my arms and legs then let you heal me, if you were a slave to the kidnapper. Eugene did the right thing cutting your hair. You’re home and you’re free and that is worth more than a hand ever could be.” 

Hookhand meant it. He would gladly trade a hand, even his life, for her freedom because she was so wonderful. She had helped him in ways he could barely understand right now. She had shown him a kind of love he hadn’t imagined, and now he loved her. He had been in the presence of the royal family long enough to know she had a problem with that word, so he tried to tell her another way.

Rapunzel bit her lip. She could feel Hookhand’s love for her, so many people were showing her they loved her, in so many different ways, it was so hard to handle sometimes. She had lived on tiny occasional droplets of love for so long and now she felt like she was standing in front of a dam break of love. 

She didn’t know how to handle it all, but she couldn’t, wouldn’t run away from it. 

Quiet time helped, a little. 

“Thank you,” she said in a tiny voice and gave him a long hug. Something she could do for him to show him her love, even if she couldn’t heal him like she wanted to or even say the word. It was so hard to try to give back all the love she was getting. 

She wanted to cry from gratitude. 

Hookhand was so beautiful, kind and understanding. She could no longer do the one thing she was able to do to show people her love, and she was trying to find other ways, but they never seemed good enough.

Then Mortimer lead them to the next place she needed to be, as Eugene held her close.


	68. Skiffs and Sloops

The King found his daughter under a tree near a curved wall in the garden at the end of their quiet time.

Rapunzel had found a nice spot that balanced the hugeness of Outside with something that reminded her of the tower. So many of the rooms were rectangles and she didn’t feel entirely comfortable in a rectangular room. 

Her room had a nice round turret she could look out of, once she moved the sofa around, and she had figured out a way to paint the corners so they didn’t look so corner-y. 

But she had longed to be Outside so much, for so long, she didn’t really want to be inside too much either. 

This spot in the garden was good. It was rounded, about the size her tower had been, a space she felt like she fit in. It had an oak tree to lean on, or sit under, and some really nice soft grass. It looked good to climb too, but she was still sore and too tired.

She was so tired all the time, now. 

Sleep was … challenging. The nightmares that stalked her were awful, screaming awful. It felt so good when mama, papa and Eugene would come and hold her and comfort her, but she was so tired all the time now. 

Meeting all the people was tiring too.

The king, her papa, sat on the bench next to her, and put his arm around her. It felt so good to get all these hugs, she got hugs all the time now. She counted the days between hugs from Mother, trying so hard to earn them. Now it was only hours or minutes between hugs and it felt so good.

“Hi, papa.” She said looking up into his eyes, with a look that said, I love you, even if she couldn’t say those words to him. It made her so angry sometimes, Mother had broken her, she just couldn’t do it and she wanted to so much. She couldn’t let go.

“You are my sunshine,” papa said with a gentle squeeze.

Rapunzel nodded, “You warm my soul.” It was an alternative, a substitute for the real words she wanted to say. 

“I’m proud of you,” her papa said in his deep, rich voice, and she hugged him tighter. She loved to hear those words, Mother had said them only a very few times, and there was always something attached to them.

“You handled yourself really well in that crowd this morning and you asked to leave when it was getting too much for you, even though more people wanted to meet you. You were brave and strong and didn’t try to go too far all at once.”

“But…” Rapunzel prompted, Mother always had buts to go with compliments.

“No buts, you did well.” She was finding her limits and that was important too.

“But I know I did things wrong, I could tell. Like when…” Her papa shook his head and she stopped. 

“You didn’t do anything terribly wrong, and you weren’t being rude on purpose. Could you have done better? Not right now. I know you did the best you know how to do, and you are a good person and most people will forgive you.”

“I just want to be the best princess ever.” Rapunzel said earnestly.

Papa smiled gently, “You will be, but you have to learn how first. You can’t steer a sloop, if you can’t steer a skiff.”

Rapunzel felt stupid, again. Tears welled up in her eyes, she was so frustrated all the time now too; she hated not knowing things. 

“Oh, but what’s a sloop and a skiff?” The Princess of Corona asked with a little quaver in her voice.

The papa got annoyed at himself, again; then got an idea and smiled. “Come on, I’ll show you, another first together. Let’s go, before Mortimer shows up.”

She gave him a big smile, she liked doing firsts with papa, and not having to follow Mortimer around for once.


	69. Palace Tour: Throne Room

“This is the throne room. This is where we hear petitions, make judgements, and greet state guests. We have kept your coronet here to remind us of you and what we lost.” King Leonard said, as he lead his daughter into the room, giving her hand a squeeze. The tour of the palace was taking a while, they were getting in a few rooms in before dinner.

The pillar was empty now, it would be taken away after the coronation tomorrow. The coronet was in its rightful place on the princess’ head.

“You know, it looks different from ground level.” Commented Flynn.

Rapunzel and Rebecca both gave him that admonishing look they both did so well.

“Just know that it was a good thing you brought my daughter back.” The king said with his hand on Eugene’s shoulder.

“Ah, yes sir.” Eugene looked up, he could see the repairs, “Sorry about the roof.”

Rapunzel looked up too. Many beautiful banners hung from the ceiling. That was a fun idea. Why had she never thought of that for her tower? She needed to do that in her room, too. Those rafters looked fun to play in. That was something she missed from the tower, climbing into the rafters and soaring between them. She casually reached behind her for her hair to climb up, but her hand came back empty, again.  
Rapunzel was looking at her empty hand again. She balled up her fist and slammed it into her thigh and stamped her foot as she started to cry from frustration.

Eugene caught her up in a hug, “What’s wrong?”

“You ...cut ...my ...hair! I can’t get up in the rafters. I can’t climb anymore. I can’t heal anymore. I can’t do ...anything anymore!” Rapunzel wept into his chest as she punctuated her words with her fists on his chest.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Eugene kept saying as her parents enveloped them in a family hug. Rapunzel had been home for a while and it was hard on her in some ways, there was so much that was new that she was trying to understand. Sometimes it overwhelmed her and she would need some quiet time to let her recover. 

In the warmth of her family’s embrace Rapunzel soon calmed. 

“I’m sorry, for losing it, again.” Rapunzel said, wiping her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” asked Rebecca, Rapunzel’s mother.

“I wanted to climb into the rafters to play up there like I did in my Tower. Then I remembered, there are so many people we meet that are hurt, Mama. I could fix them with my hair but I can’t anymore, because Eugene cut it.” Rapunzel was gripping the remains of her hair with her hands. 

“I want to love them like I loved Mother all these years and I can’t. It hurts my heart.” She put her hands over her heart, hoping they could understand what she was saying. Sometimes it was hard to communicate, she used words differently then everyone else, it seemed like. While Eugene understood her best, it was like groping in the dark trying to make meaning.

Rapunzel took Eugene’s hand and stroked it, “I know why you had to cut my hair, but I miss it so.”

The others looked at each other, they knew about the promise she had made to “Mother” to save Eugene. 

Her father sighed, “Come, sit.”

They sat on the steps of the dais of the thrones. Rapunzel in the crook of her father’s arm.

“There may be another reason he had to cut your hair, dear one.” Her father began. “I know you are a good girl. You love everyone so much. I had a dream, one I believe to be a true dream, one that foretold the future. Your hair grew nearly 4 feet a year. It healed “her” old age. It healed you too. You were in essence immortal. I discussed it with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The math is irrefutable. In time you would have ...destroyed the world.” Her father finished sadly.

“What!? But I would never.... I wouldn’t want... Why would I? How could I?” Rapunzel cried in confusion, her hands gripping her clothes by the shoulder.

“Your hair would have kept growing forever. Choking all the homes and plants and...everything. Eventually covering the planet.” Leonard said bleakly. Everyone was looking at each other trying to understand the magnitude of what the king was saying.

“You lost something so very special, but in many ways we gained back the world.” Leonard put his arm around his daughter, what he was saying felt so inadequate what what it all meant in the dream. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to destroy the world. It’s so beautiful. I try so hard to be a good girl, I’m sorry that I’m not.” Rapunzel threw her arms around her papa and wept into his chest.

“I know, my beloved daughter. I know. You are a good person, I know that too. You don’t want to destroy the world. You want to love the world. You are safe and we love you.” Papa said to his beloved daughter, though he did send another grateful look to Eugene over her head. 

Eugene nodded back, though his eyes were wide as he understood too. 

“You’re my good girl,” said Mama hugging her daughter too in the throne room of the Palace of Corona.

“Maybe we should have dinner now. Saving the world, kinda works up an appetite.” Said Eugene, trying to break the tension. Rapunzel and Rebecca give some weak laughs but everyone rose and they went to the family dining room.


	70. Beards and Dreams

Pascal was holding the palette with his tail as he and Rapunzel were on top of a ladder by the ceiling of her room. She was beginning to paint the PubThugs in as cherubs around the top of the room, an idea she had gotten from the palace chapel.

Rapunzel was thinking about Eugene and Papa, as she painted in Shorty’s beard. She’s trying to figure out so much. Children didn’t have hair on their faces, women didn’t have hair on their faces, but some men did. She wondered if Eugene’s beard would grow up around his mouth like her papa’s did. Some of the PubThugs had hairy faces, but different. 

She couldn’t see any particular pattern:  
Some men had no hairy faces.  
Some men had hair over their lips and even up into their head.  
Some under their lips and chin like Eugene.  
Some over and around like papa.  
It didn’t seem to be health related, like how male birds are all fancy when they are healthy, to attract mates.  
It didn’t seem related to status either. There are bigger beards then her papa’s. Mortimer seemed important but he has no beard. The Captain of the Guard had hair above his lip but Captain Taygon had none.  
It didn’t seem like it was age related or height or width.  
Rapunzel knew she could just ask. There were so many other questions to ask that seemed more important. Solving the puzzle on her own was part of the fun, and it didn’t seem urgent.   
She was always on the look out for someone with pointy teeth, but hadn’t seen any yet. Another not urgent thing to not talk about, not anymore at least, her magic hair was gone. She moved a little of her brown hair from off of her face.

There was no bottom to the questions it seemed like, every question lead to an answer, but another question would pop up. If she was lucky it was only one question, so often it would be three or four new questions and then headaches and naps and screaming napmares. So much to learn, so little time.

She was just putting the finishing touches on Shorty’s smile, when she frowned. 

Pascal asked what was wrong, in the manner of chameleons. 

“Well, I just can’t remember what Shorty’s dream was.” 

Pascal knew that they had met with most of the PubThugs with the Queen, but he couldn’t remember Shorty’s dream, or if they had even talked to him. The Queen was very nice, she had told them that she wanted to help make the PubThugs dreams come true, because they made her dream of having her daughter back come true. Rapunzel wanted to do the same since they helped her get to the lanterns. 

Rapunzel sighed, “It’s so hard to remember anything anymore. So many new things and new persons, um, people. But I want to know so much. Why did Mother do that? Why didn’t she teach me properly? I tried to be such a good girl.”

# # #

Pascal was considering Rapunzel. His girl was looking sad again. Painting during quiet time was supposed to make her happy, or at least happier. She had cried through a couple of them already.

He told her she was a good girl, he knew she was. He changed color to try and make her happier.

“Thank you, Pascal. Yes, I was as good a girl as I knew how. But being a princess is so different. No cleaning up the tower or brushing my hair.”

She was finishing up Gunther’s painting now and putting a chair in the cloud under him to remember his dream of being an interior decorator. She touched what was left of her hair, trying not to miss it so much.

“Mama is so different from Mother. She just reminds me how to do it right next time. But she’s so angry, so often. Not like Mother, Mother hardly ever got angry. Mama can be so angry, I just know she can make a worse Punishment than lashes.” Rapunzel whispered with a certain amount of fear. 

Pascal knew too. He had been dropped off at the tower after the Punishment and she had told him all about it, crying, but she seemed better and happier after telling him. 

That eagle had swooped down and taken him high into the sky. He had fought, but the bird was very big and strong, they had flown a long way, before the eagle had made a mistake and he got in a good shot with his tongue and was dropped. They had been so far up, he was sure he would die anyway. 

He had zoomed in the window of a lonely tower and slid to a stop at the feet of a 10-year-old girl playing a guitar. She had jumped so high and climbed into the rafters, but then she noticed he was hurt and came down and healed him. She was so nice, but so lonely. He stayed with her because he knew how lonely it could be. He was a really good hider, but got lonely when no one found him, or even seemed to be looking. He had turned yellow to try and get some attention, but the bird noticed him first. 

She never wanted to go outside, no matter how much he urged, but when she finally did, she didn’t hold back.

“Oh-oh, quiet time is almost over. We’d better clean up,” said Rapunzel, glancing at the clock on the mantel of her fireplace. She hooked her bare feet around the sides of the ladder and slid down. He carefully climbed down with the palette as she put away the paints and brushes. Smiling, she took the palette from him and put it in the little paint box Eugene had given her. 

“Thank you, Pascal,” said his special girl, as her hand lingered on the paint box.

Pascal thought that Eugene was really nice, not like Flynn Rider. How odd it was, for the same person to change so much.


	71. The Lock Guard versus the Kidnapper

Mark, one of Princess Rapunzel’s bodyguards--assigned to her as a familiar face because he had been in the room when she had passed the Test--was facing down a kidnapper. 

He was the only one left. The last defense of the princess. Everyone else was dead.

Princess Rapunzel was a good person, a kind and worthy princess, and she would not be Lost again. He would take the knife for her, that was his job, but as he glared at the kidnapper he was facing, he knew that he would take the knife for her because she cared for him as a person and not just a bodyguard. 

It touched him deeply. He felt a love for her, different from the love that he felt for his wife, Margaret, but he knew it for what it was. He had doubled his training time, in order to be the best protection she could have, even if he was one of the younger Lock Guards.

The Princess would not be Lost again. His fingers flexed above his swords as he faced down the kidnapper.

It did not matter that the person he faced was the Captain of the Lock Guard, his superior. He was just a kidnapper now, who had wormed his way into the palace to get as close to the princess as possible, and now had to be defeated to keep the princess safe, but no one had defeated him in training for years.

Mark’s right hand went for the short sword strapped to his right thigh, sliding it free of its hidden sheath and lunging toward his Captain’s face in a smooth thrust. 

Captain Vince Taygon twisted his body and the sword just missed his face.

Mark twisted his blade and cocked his wrist to draw the sharp edge across his Captain’s throat, as he had to jump back to dodge the sword coming toward his own belly.

“So, how is the princess doing today?” asked loyal Captain Taygon of one of his younger guards, slowly bringing the sword toward Mark’s belly, as they practiced their sword fighting skills at half speed. 

Training at the end of their shift, in the late afternoon, as the royals had a quiet dinner.

“I fear she is being worn down by all the excitement and activities.” Slowly moving to the side so the sword his Captain was bring toward him would miss gutting him, drawing his left sword to block that attack.

“Why do you say that?” Captain Taygon had been observing that as well, but he wanted other opinions to cross-check.

“She seems frazzled by the time dinner is served. She spent most of quiet time crying, again.” The clash of their weapons echoes in the large training room deep in the bowels of the old section of the palace. The heavy stone columns holding up the library above them.

Captain Taygon nodded, the princess has done that a few times already, as he slowly brought the pommel of his left sword up to break the elbow of the princess’s bodyguard.

“She is trying very hard to be polite and a good princess, but she feels that she is doing many things wrong. Just small things, but I believe that she is feeling the sting quite deeply. She feels her ignorance on so many subjects quite keenly as well. As she tells the Royals about her life, there is so much of it she spent utterly alone in the prison of the Tower. I am beginning to think meeting everyone she has to meet is somehow a drain on her.” Mark said as he slowly aimed a thrust at the leg of the Captain with his left sword as he slowly twisted his arm out of the way of the elbow breaker coming his way on the right.

“Very well, anything else?” asked Captain Taygon.

“The nightmares are a continuing problem. Having her sleep interrupted like that is not helping. Her screams are unnerving as well.”

Slow blows with their swords are exchanged, in the training arena as they discuss their princess. The sound of metal scraping against metal sounding loud in the in training chamber and the clash of other weapons, metal and wood as the next shift warmed up.

“Yes, they are. The kitchen is providing rosemary tea as an anti-nightmare remedy,” said the Captain, jumping over Mark’s thrown sword and blocking the thrust Mark aimed at him, a very challenging move, most kidnappers would be unable to handle dodging a thrown sword, especially their specially-crafted throwing swords.

Several of the men had talked to him about the screaming nightmares of their princess, but the anti-nightmare remedy just didn’t seem to be working. The elderly royal herbalist said to give it two weeks before they try something else, he was organizing an anti-nightmare plan, with different concoctions and potions.

“Breaking into her room to answer those screams, as part of waking her up is scaring her too. We don’t dare let her be Lost again, but she needs to be woken up from those nightmares more gently. Hearing her calling Eugene, like he is her only link to life, seeing her dragging herself across the floor, not even toward the door, is heartbreaking. I just can’t think of a gentler way and protect her at the same time.” Said Mark, aiming a slow kick at the Captain’s knee.

“No, the princess needs as much rest as she can get, but the King and Queen are already changing their sleep patterns to try and get up before the nightmares, but they are not quite always at dawn. The King has asked us to let Flynn, um, Eugene through so he can help comfort her as well.”

“Eugene is not at all like Flynn Rider. He’s a good man.” Mark said earnestly, drawing the sword strapped to his back.

The Captain of the Royal Bodyguard, thought about that. He keeps seeing this. Those who are in closest contact to Eugene are saying he is a good man. He may have to keep a closer eye on Eugene and find out what is going on. While the king had asked him to assign Eugene a bodyguard rather then guard him; he had placed extra security around the royals just in case. The Palace Guard had a larger then average presence around Flynn as well, they certainly didn’t want him to get away, again. 

But the question kept coming up: Can a leopard truly change his spots? 

“Touch!” shouted Mark triumphantly, those extra hours of training must be paying off, as the primary protection for the good princess, he was pushing himself in training, so he could defend her better then any other Lock Guard. She would never be Lost again if he had any way to stop it. Scoring a touch on the Captain was a very big deal.

Captain Taygon looked down, the flat of Mark’s blade was on his side. It had been years since anyone had scored a touch on him. It would have been a fatal blow eventually, though in combat he would have a few seconds to take advantage of; to land a blow to take a kidnapper down with him.

The others stopped as they heard the call against their Captain. Many were smiling and whispering to each other. There would be a round for him at the tavern later, just one; they needed to be at their best for the coronation tomorrow.

“Very good,” smiled Captain Taygon. It wasn’t often he lost concentration enough to be touched. Flynn Rider seemed to have a way of doing that.

“Now it’s time for full speed training,” said Captain Taygon as he went to the rack and got some wooden training swords, the big two-handed ones, for variety’s sake. He threw one to Mark and put all thought of Flynn Rider out of his head. Just because Mark had scored a touch didn’t mean he was loosing his edge. 

Mark’s smile faded as he saw the look in his Captain’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I wanted an action scene to show off the Lock Guard a little and get inside Mark’s head. And I hope I rattled your mind a little at the beginning. :)  
> The Lock Guard are basically the Secret Service of Corona. They just stand around in the movie in their red, white and black uniforms with the fez and sashes. But after the kidnapping of the princess, they become quite professional and determined that it not happen again.   
> It is one thing to love the idea of a person or a position like princess. It is quite another to love the actual person, Rapunzel, and she is so very lovable.  
> So we have a look behind the scenes of those protecting her.


	72. The Mirror That Didn't Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Nightmare.

“And I will NEVER let you use my hair again!” Delivered Rapunzel as an ultimatum.

Gothel grunted as she wrenched herself free from the suddenly strong arm of her flower.

She caught herself on the stand mirror, they wobbled together but stay standing.

Rapunzel turned her back on Mother. She had meant it, she would never let her use her hair again. Mother had lied to her, betrayed her and had sent Eugene to die.

“You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I'm the bad guy,” said Gothel quietly, moving forward.

# # #

“Rapunzel I thought I'd never see you again!” said Eugene happily, seeing Rapunzel's gagged face. “Wait, what?”

“Meunee! Mmpf, oumpf,” screamed Rapunzel through her gag.

Schlunk answered the knife, as it slid into Eugene's belly.

Thud went Eugene as the pain took him.

“Now look what you've done, Rapunzel. Oh, don't worry, dear. Our secret will die with him.” Gothel stepped over the dying Eugene, the knife dripping in her hand. And moved to release the chains holding Rapunzel to the stairs.

Rapunzel fought to drag herself next to Eugene. “Why couldn't he have fallen the other way onto my hair?” she thought desperately.

“And as for us. We are going where no one will ever find you again.” Gothel said, dragging Rapunzel to the trapdoor.

Pascal charged out from the shadows to bite the hem of Gothel's dress, she notices\d him and kicked him across the room.

“Rapunzel, really!  
“Enough already!  
“Stop fighting me!”

“No, I won't stop! For every minute of the rest of my life, I will fight! I will never stop trying to get away from you! But if you let me save him, I will go with you,” she begged, in chains, from the floor, at the feet of the woman she called Mother, after working the gag free.

“No! No, Rapunzel,” grunted the dying Eugene from by the window.

“I'll never run. I'll never try to escape. Just let me heal him and you and I will be together, forever, just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise. Just like you want. Just let me heal him.” It was the most terrible promise ever, Rapunzel knew that her hair keeps Mother young, it will keep herself young, it really will be forever. 

But she has to save Eugene.

Gothel considered and accepted the promise. Rapunzel knelt docilely as commanded, as Gothel removed the chains and waited impatiently as she chained Eugene to the stairs. “In case you get any ideas about following us.”

He coughed as his punctured organs are irritated by the movement.

“Eugene!” cried Rapunzel racing to her true love. Stroking his hair and examining the wound. “I'm so sorry. Everything is going to be fine, though.”

“No, Rapunzel.” begged Eugene, he couldn't let her keep that promise, it was too awful. She never breaks her promises, and he didn't even know just how terrible that promise was.

“I promise. You have to trust me. Come on. Just breathe,” she begged him.

“I can't let you do this,” he tried to resist her help.

“And I can't let you die,” she said desperately.

“But if you do then you will die,” he tried to explain to her. Gothel was killing everyone who knew about Rapunzel. She had to be next. There had to be something he could so to keep her from doing this. His strength was fading fast.

The guards had emptied his pockets; there was nothing on the floor.

He had no way to stop what was going to happen.

“Hey. It's going to be all right,” she explained, gently wrapping her hair around her true love and began to sing.

The inside of the tower brightened as her hair glowed. 

Eugene was healed.

Rapunzel gave him one last, first, only kiss, and her tears wet his cheeks, she’ll never see him again, but at least he’s alive right now. “I love you.”

Gothel commanded, “Come, Rapunzel.”

“Yes, Mother.” Rapunzel lowered her eyes and stood next to Gothel. She promised.

She has sold herself into eternal slavery for the life of her true love, who will now be able live out a normal life, and die, sometime in the distant past of her future and she'll never be able to join him even in death, because she promised.

And she's never going to meet her real parents, who send up the floating lights, because she promised.

Her spirit was imploding within her, crumpling like her heart, because she promised.

Eugene caught the hair that was on his belly in his hand and Rapunzel stopped.

“Please, let me stay with her and you,” Eugene begged.

Gothel grabbed the hair and pulled on it. “There is no way we can trust you.”

“No, you can't, I'm just a thief,” Flynn conceded, the hair began to slip through his grasp.

“Eugene.” Rapunzel implored, she wants him to go away and be free. Knowing there was someone who loved her and was free would sustain her.

The hair stopped in his grip. “Correction, Flynn Rider is a thief, but Eugene Fitzherbert isn't and he can be trusted.”

Gothel looked suspicious, “And who is Eugene Fitzherbert?”

“I am.”

“Like that is supposed to make me feel any better about you.” Gothel continued to tug on the hair.

Eugene knelt, chain clanking. “On my love for Rapunzel, I, Eugene Fitzherbert, pledge myself to you, to be loyal and to do everything possible to protect you and Rapunzel forever, I promise. Just let me stay with her.” It was an oath of a vassal to a queen.

Rapunzel closed her huge green eyes, his terrible promise sliding into her heart like a knife, she doesn't want to lose him again, but having him like this would be worse. It would be nothing more then an exercise wheel for a hamster, something to keep her entertained and docile and somewhat content, because she promised and now so did he and her soul died some more.

Gothel is impressed with the oath, but still had doubts. “How can we trust you?”

“I have to earn your trust. I know that. I also know that the palace guard are going to be on my trail, which obviously leads here. I can lead them away, but in case it doesn't work you should leave the tower anyway, at least for a while. Do you know where Weathertop Hill is?”

“I do.” Gothel answered, wondering why that might be important.

“In two days, I'll be on top of that mountain or dead. Meet me there and learn that you can trust me, I'll be on top so you can see me, but I won't be able to see you. Get out of here, but watch the entrance and watch me lead away the guards. I'll try to make sure no one finds the tower, but I can't promise I'll succeed, so hide.”

Gothel can see they love each other; this she should be able to use. Using one against the other to keep them both in line.

Gothel was going to leave the tower so he could never find her, but there were downsides to that.

Her food forest was doing well so another mouth to feed would not be a problem. Abandoning that would be the most painful thing. It would mean buying food and more exposure, more chances to be found out and her Flower taken from her again.

Gothel agreed.

Rapunzel stayed with Gothel, obedient, her hair in the backbasket that Gothel gathered wood for the fire in, her spirit bleeding, because she promised. Gothel appreciated that as they hide in the bushes beyond the entrance.

Flynn and Max looked like they were setting up a camp when the guards came, Flynn jumped on Max and they raced away. Gothel and Rapunzel waited for the rest of the day, but no other guards came. They went to Weathertop Hill and slept under the stars and the hair. It was a beautiful night but Rapunzel couldn't see from the tears in her eyes. It wasn't going to be just like it was, the promise was too powerful. Rapunzel’s spirit bled and bled and bled.

They waited and then Eugene came. Gothel and Rapunzel circled the hill making sure he and Max were alone. Satisfied, they went up together to meet him, Gothel and Rapunzel. Rapunzel heeling Mother like a dog on a leash, but a leash far stronger then leather or metal, she had promised, and it was bleeding her soul.

“So?” asked Eugene.

“You kept your word so far. It is a start. Follow me.” She set off away from the direction of the tower, but circled around so they came up from the mountains around it, it looked undisturbed.

“I still don't trust you yet.” Gothel told Eugene.

“Very smart,” Eugene said. “I did lead them away, they are floundering in the swamp.”

They went around to the entrance and after looking around for tracks and finding no new ones they went back to the tower.

As they stood by the arched entrance to the tower Rapunzel looked around one last time and said, “Thank you, Mother.”

Confused Gothel asked, “What for?”

“For this time Outside.”

Gothel nodded, things are going to be different now. But she held out her arms and said gratefully, “I love you, very much.”

“I love your more,” came the empty, hollow, automatic reply.

“I love you most.”

They go up the stairs, and try to figure out a way to make a new arrangement work.

And Eugene was right, not her body, but Rapunzel’s spirit bleeds out, crumples, withers and finally dies inside her, because she promised; not to be a daughter, nor even a slave, but just a pet.

# # #

Terrible sobs wrack Princess Rapunzel’s body and soul, as she wakes up in her whale shaped bed, in her room, in the palace of Corona, as the sun peaks over the horizon. She presses her hands to her chest trying to feel if she is still alive; as the guards crash into her room, and her parents and Eugene come racing in.


	73. Choices

Rapunzel was brushing her short brown hair, in front of her big mirror, still wearing her tower dress. They were resting a little before getting ready for her coronation. Her parents were getting ready and arranging the last few things.

Eugene was with Rapunzel in her room. The door was open with the guards and maid waiting outside. Eugene was there to just be with her. It felt good just to be in the same room as she was. He didn’t know why, and didn’t really care. 

He was impressed by the paintings she had done so quickly: The Tower, ‘mother,’ herself with long blonde hair, and flanking her bed were life-sized portraits of her parents on one side and Max, Pascal and himself on the other. He noticed that she was taking extra time on his, he was hoping it wasn’t done, all that grey where his body was made it look like he was wearing armor, which made him feel funny for some reason, but he wasn’t sure if it was a good or a bad funny.

“Why are you making such a big fuss over your hair?” asked Eugene, he was looking at the self-portrait she had of herself with blonde hair.

“Believe me, this is not anywhere near a big fuss. It used to take me hours to brush my hair before. This is pretty great, it only takes a couple of minutes. In any case, brushing my hair relaxes me.” Rapunzel answered with a soft, dreamy smile.

Eugene got up and stood near the mirror where he could see both Rapunzels at the same time. “How could the same woman look so different?” He thought.

“I‘m so sorry,” he said.

“What for?” Rapunzel paused in her brushing.

“For having done, this to you,” he moved close and ran his hand through her hair.

“You didn’t have much choice.”

“I did. I could have let you heal me and then found you again later.” There were others choices too, ones that disturbed him, as he ran his fingers down the side of her throat.

Rapunzel panicked a little again. She was having a hard time feeling in control of herself, lately. That nightmare from this morning had been so awful. It had taken so long to calm down that there hadn’t been time to talk about it, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to. How do you even start to explain how it feels to feel your soul die within you, in a dream?

“Even if you did, I wouldn’t have gone with you. I promised to stay with Mother.” Rapunzel said, almost calmly.

“I would have killed her when I found you again.” Eugene was sure he would have been able to do that.

“And I would have tried to save her, and I would have, even if you killed her, I could have brought her back. I had promised.”

“I know, you never break your promises. I keep thinking I would have found a way to stay with you, even if it meant to become her slave too, just so I could be with you.”

“Please, that wouldn’t have worked.” Rapunzel looked down, she was gripping the brush, which she had chosen it since it looked so much like Mother’s brush, with both hands. Eugene loved her so much. She loved him back. Why was it so hard to stop loving Mother? She had done such terrible things to her, but not always, there were times it seemed like love, even compared to what her real parents are doing to show their love to her. 

It couldn’t all be lies, could it? But what was truth?

“I... I... You’re my new dream.” She hugged him tightly. Eugene, she could trust, he had died for her, but she still couldn’t say it, yet. 

Eugene held her close, wondering why she would think that, but the panicked look in her eyes concerned him. He knew her coming home was really hard on her. She was so brave and trying to be so strong, but he knew she was fraying a little around the edges.  
He had insisted on this little extra quiet time to help her before the coronation to help her make it through today. Maybe some brandy tonight, to help her sleep.

“You’re different, then you were when I first came to your tower,” said Eugene, oh, so gently. Looking into her eyes and running the back of his fingers along the side of the face.

Rapunzel panicked a little again, had he found her secret painting? She looked from him to her mirror and the painting of herself behind her, with her golden hair. The secret painting that she used to feel more like herself, when she imagined she still had her hair, even though she wasn’t sure if it was helping anymore.

Twisting the brush in her hands she said, “No, I’m not. I used to be a girl in a tower, now I am going to be the Princess of Corona. I used to only have to worry about keeping the tower clean, my hair brushed and Mother happy. Now I have so much more.” 

She went to the curved turret windows where they could see the kingdom. “I knew I was bigger then the tower, I couldn’t have stayed there much longer anyway, but this is so much bigger then I ever dreamed...

“...So much more,” Princess Rapunzel finished quietly.

Eugene came to her and put his arm around her as he saw the look in her eyes that reminded him of their time on the little boat just before the lanterns went up, “and it’s terrifying, isn’t it?”

Rapunzel nodded, as she put her arms around her new dream and hugged him tight. 

After a while. “I’m not the same either,” said Eugene, with a slight laugh.

“No, but I like you better this way.” Her smile was quite genuine as she looked up at him.

Eugene got a lop-sided smile on. “Thanks, you woke me, Eugene, up. I was hiding the hurt little boy that I was, beneath Flynn Rider, and you started making him all better. Thank you. It means a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You’re my new dream.”

“And your are mine,” they said to each other, in their alternative way of saying “I love you.” 

It was so hard inside of Rapunzel’s mind to figure out how to love her parents and Eugene. Mother had mixed things up so badly inside of her. She felt so broken inside. She didn’t have the words to describe it to anyone yet. Mama called them snakes in the grass of her soul and they kept finding new ones. They made life hard; giving them a name made them manageable, a little. 

All the people she meets say they love her, and it scares her so much. She wants to be a good princess to them all, but she just doesn’t know how. After the first day they limited the amount of time she spent out with people. She understood, she had felt so strange and then fallen asleep while talking to mama and papa. How could she have fallen asleep while telling an exciting story? 

She wanted to meet everyone, to help everyone, to be the best princess ever. But, she acknowledged, she had grown up with just one other person in her life, just getting used to being around hundreds of people was its own challenge.

Papa was right, you couldn’t learn how to steer a sloop, if you didn’t first learn to steer a skiff, and it takes time. Well, at least she understood when he had showed her what a sloop and a skiff were. She felt so stupid all the time. She didn’t feel like she knew anything anymore. 

Sometimes, in the afternoon before dinnertime, it got to be so hard to keep going. She just felt like she was unravelling. Like she was going to fly apart and never be able to find all the pieces. She wasn’t sure who she was any more. 

She was supposed to be a princess.

Even looking in the mirror was hard, knowing she didn’t look like how she remembered herself. Later today she was going to be crowned Princess of Corona, but what did that mean?

Quiet time alone helped; painting or napping or reading or talking to Pascal, who was so understanding. She wasn’t sure if she liked being alone in her room when there was so much to do and learn, but it was the only way she could feel like herself again. It wasn’t like the tower, she could leave and return as she wanted and that wasn’t so bad, but she didn’t want to stay in her room too long. She wouldn’t trade a tower for a room in a palace, if all it was was change in prisons. 

Most terrifyingly, what if she couldn’t leave, because one of Mother’s snakes wanted her to stay, or worst of all because she herself wanted to stay?

The gardens were nice, so restful, even with all the new sounds and big views of the ocean. She had found a nice tree that was perfect for leaning against or sitting under. 

She wanted so badly to know what all the plants were, the Botany book had been nice, but real plants and flowers made it different somehow, but it was so hard because there was so much to learn. She wanted to know everything, all at once. 

The library was so wonderful, all those books. Eugene kept sneaking books into her bed, so she didn’t have to go in it. She’d peek in the doors as long as she could, before she’d be overwhelmed by it all. She thought it was taking a little longer each time; hopefully she could go in herself soon.

Rolling in the grass was still fun, and so was the swing.

Mama and Papa promised lessons to help her soon, after the Coronation and the celebration. She believed them. She trusted them. She was trying to love them like she had Mother, but she couldn’t, it wasn’t the same. 

Was she broken?  
Had cutting her hair changed her that profoundly?  
She didn’t think so, picking leaves off of a plant didn’t change it into a rock, but picking all the leaves killed a plant. She worried about that. She couldn’t remember things, like she used to. That scared her so much, had her hair remembered things for her?

Rapunzel knew Mama and Papa loved her, she knew that. They came every morning to save her from the nightmares, which helped so much, how could she not love them? The nightmares were so terrifying now.

They helped keep her safe from the foods she was learning to eat. It scared her to know Mother had been right in so many ways, that the world was dangerous, but you could learn how to be careful and not be hurt. 

After dinner they would sit together on the sofa and just hold each other and talk quietly. It feels so good, and she doesn’t even have to earn them. Mama corrects her gently and lovingly when she makes mistakes, but there is always something else to do wrong.

Rapunzel loved Eugene so profoundly, just like she did Mother, well almost. Whenever he was gone a tiny voice, that sounded like Mother’s, would ask, if he had left her like he did on the beach. She always countered that he had come back, even from the dead to be with her. 

But she would be so relieved when she saw him again, and smile to him, and the panic and the pain would fade. Why did it feel like her skin got too small when he was away for a while?

Rapunzel, her parents and Eugene had worked out ways to express their love with other words for now. And in time it would be worked out, maybe she just had to find the right word or song. Hopefully the lessons would help her find it.

But to tell them of Mother’s ritual of love was so hard. It was special, so intimate, and so very, very personal. She gave Eugene an extra hug.

“Your Highness, it’s time to change,” came the voice of her maid, Margaret, from behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Rapunzel is having some minor memory problems, she’s just encountering more new stuff then ever before and not all of it makes it to long term memory before more stuff crowds it out.
> 
> The betrayals of Eugene and Gothel and then loss of Gothel and Eugene and her hair deeply affected Rapunzel and so did leaving the tower, but she did that voluntarily. 
> 
> She lost almost all her anchors. She has established some new ones and now she has Eugene, Pascal, Max, her dress, the banner and basket and even the Pub Thugs to help hold herself together, and of course her parents, but sometimes it is a bare thing. The transition Rapunzel is going through is so rough, she is becoming a new and different person. 
> 
> But the things Gothel did to her, left snakes in the grass of her soul, emotional land mines really, since they didn’t have land mines back then, that they are dealing with. And some of them are terrible.
> 
> My next story “Roused” deals with this in detail.
> 
> She’ll be painting Eugene in full armor, he is her knight in shining armor. She’ll even paint the Pub Thugs but not at full scale. They’ll be cherubs along the ceiling.


	74. The Coronation of Rapunzel, Princess of Corona

Rapunzel was kneeling on a little purple pillow in front of the pedestal where her crown had rested all these years, and it was resting there again now. She had her head down, humbly, as the ceremony continued, the archbishop was pontificating about honor and duty and Corona. 

Princess Rapunzel of Corona was biting her lip, trying desperately not to giggle. Papa was going to boom her full name out in front of the entire kingdom.

Her parents were on their thrones behind her. 

From one corner of her eye she could see Eugene, and in the other corner were all her dear friends from the Snuggly Duckling. They looked almost dashing in tunics, or at least less menacing.

Dear HookHand was up front, he had been invited for so many parties in the city to perform, he was also good to talk to, it helped so much. BigNose was crying. Attila still had flour on him — he had been baking cupcakes for two days straight.

To distract herself, she contemplated her dress. It really was amazing. She had been fitting for it all week. Rapunzel had come to the palace that had a whole closet full of clothes for her — that didn’t fit. But the seamstresses had gotten right to work and altered them all. She even had a separate dress for meeting the people after the coronation, which looked a bit like her tower dress, which was so nice, it felt a little familiar. The bruises on her wrists were mostly gone now. Mama had used makeup to hide the last little bit. It was going to be warm out and they didn’t want her fainting from being too warm, but she had to be there for her own party.

There were so many dresses, but none happened to be red. It would be so ungrateful of her to ask for a red dress when she hadn’t even worn most of her dresses. She wanted a red dress, Mother had said red was for grown ups. If becoming the Princess of Corona wasn’t all grown up, what would be? Well, eventually one of them would wear out and she’d ask for one in red.

But the coronation gown had been the focus of everyone’s attention. 

Rapunzel found the dressmaker to be fussy and preoccupied and she seemed to be more concerned about how she would look if Rapunzel didn’t look good. The main color had to be purple, of course, but the dressmaker had surprised her with the care taken for the bodice, to accent her face and skin, and especially her eyes, a rich lavender brocade was used there. 

The sleeves were puffier then she was used to, but not too bad. It was heavy, and it just hung differently on her then the clothes she had made for herself. 

It was odd, having a maid, Margaret, to help her get dressed. It was even odder to be able to put a dress on over her head, instead of stepping into it, like before. So many things were different.

What had really amazed her, was how quickly it came together. She had thought it was done two days ago, but this morning it was like it was a completely different dress. They had embroidered it in ways she had not expected. 

The royal dressmaker had dismissed her own dress out of hand, which hurt, but she had noticed that the seamstresses had passed it around, cooing over the embroidery she had so painstakingly worked on. It wasn’t really finished, she would have filled it with embroidery eventually, all of her creations were open-ended that way. She was touched that they liked it. 

She liked that dress, because it fit her so well, it had taken ages to work out how to do it just right; to hug her all over and not gap or chafe anywhere. Some of her new dresses still needed some tweaking. She had made it herself with fabric Mother had gotten for her. They had made so many candles to be able to get it and even more for the embroidery floss. 

Wearing her tower dress let her feel like herself. It was something familiar in a strange and wonderful place that she knows is her new home. Painting the walls of her room helped a little, but it was all new and not familiar really. Her dress was something familiar, something hers, something real.

And it was one of only three things she had brought from the tower, along with the sun banner Eugene had given her and the apple basket, sitting on her nightstand. They were so comforting for some reason, they hadn’t been special before, but now they were precious to her. 

She wished she had her things.

The seamstresses had actually given her a tour of her dress that morning, while the dressmaker was attending her mama. They had embroidered ships and whales and fish and the sun sigil, of course. All with their various symbolisms. But she had noticed that the girls were getting at turns shy and agitated as they got closer to the bottom of the dress. 

When they revealed the bottom hem, Rapunzel had gasped, and tears had filled her eyes. They had embroidered a tower, just like the one she had painted on her wall, with the paints her thoughtful thief has left as a surprise, sometime during their second day here. She was so touched, it had gold thread running from it representing her golden hair that ran all the way around the hem and ended in a curl. 

It was beautiful and thoughtful, they honored her time in the tower. So many people loved her so much, doing wonderful little things like this and she tried so hard to love them back. Rapunzel hugged each one in turn.

And she didn’t even see any of the mistakes they knew they made; as they finished it just minutes before she came into the room. 

“Oh, no. Oh, no. Papa was talking now. He’s going to say it soon!” Rapunzel thought, wanting to squirm but didn’t, as it was almost time for her papa, the King, to put the crown on her head. He was going to boom out her whole name. She was biting her lip hard now, giggling would not be appropriate for a princess in the middle of her coronation. 

Why did she have to have such a big name?

Her parents were so thoughtful and kind. This morning, after another screaming nightmare; the feeling of her spirit dying within her was still terrifying, all thought of giggles gone, but now she tried not to sob. 

They had told her about what the ceremony was going to be like and papa told her, her full, true name and how they would put her tower name at the front because she still thought of herself as Rapunzel. 

Rapunzel’s mouth had fallen open, how could anyone have such a humongous name? It was nearly as long as her hair had been. Papa had looked a little crestfallen, but then Eugene started giggling, and then so did she and then mama and finally papa did too. 

If Eugene giggled now, she would kill him! 

Princesses do not giggle during important state functions, especially not her own coronation, Rapunzel thought primly.

Oh, look, that tile over there is cracked and it looks kinda, sorta like, well, nothing at all, really. Rapunzel wanted to sigh, but didn’t; that wouldn’t be proper either. None of her tricks for distracting herself that she had made up in the tower were working. 

She bit her lip some more.

Her papa, King Leonard of Corona was booming the final words, “I crown thee, Rapunzel Solara Rebecca Agatha Menolly Von Sonnenshein, as Princess of the Realm of Corona, the Lost Princess Returned. With all the rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities commiserate therewith!” 

Rapunzel smiled as she felt her papa place her beautiful, sparkly crown on her short, brown hair.

“All hail Rapunzel, Princess of Corona!” Called the herald, as papa helped her up.  
“All hail Rapunzel, Princess of Corona!” Echoed those in the palace.   
And the cheers of all the people in the kingdom outside echoed from the hills to the sea and they let fly thousands of sky lanterns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it, Rapunzel’s true full name. 
> 
> People asked if I had her real name, way back when the King and Queen share their names, at that time I hadn’t, she didn’t have one yet. I just wanted to hang a lampshade on it to get it out of the way. Her name was Rapunzel and that was enough, wasn’t it?
> 
> Little did I know she needed and had a real name. :)
> 
> Then just hours later, while making lunch, her name fell on me. I could barely write it down fast enough. I was laughing too, because it is just too perfect for her. I hope the wait wasn’t too hard on you, but I think it was worth it. It’s not the wedding scene but pretty close, but the princesses never get officially crowned and that is fun too.  
> The story isn’t over yet, there are a few more things that have to happen, before this story has its happily ever after.


	75. Little Rapunzel Sees the Lights

It was hot. It was so hot. 

Too hot for little 4-year-old Rapunzel to sleep. She tossed and turned on her bed. She was tired and a little cranky. She usually liked having her hair to sleep under but tonight it was far too hot. She even trying sleeping the other way on the bed with her hair on the floor, but it was too hot.

Mommy was asleep in her room downstairs, but Mommy didn’t like being woken up. Waking up Mommy was bad.

It had been a good day. She had drawn on the walls a little more, she thought she was getting the hang of drawing birds. Mommy had made hazelnut soup, her favorite, because it was her birthday.

Little Rapunzel got out of bed. She was hoping it was cooler downstairs in the window seat.

Rapunzel’s feet didn’t make a sound, but her hair rustled a little as it dragged down the steps. She looked carefully into Mommy’s room just past the kitchen, but Mommy was asleep and snoring. Mommy’s covers had fallen to the floor in the heat, too.

A faint breeze swept past little Rapunzel. She turned and looked at the big open window and she saw something new. Rapunzel knew she had to stay Inside, but it was amazing to see something new Outside. She padded over to the window to see the new things. 

There were lights in the sky. Hundreds of lights, bigger then the stars and moving as the stars stood still. She watched, her head on her hands, for so long. It was so special, and a little familiar, she wanted to know what they were. The cool breeze lulled her to sleep.

Rapunzel was woken up when Mommy came out of her room and found the child asleep on the ledge of the window.   
“Rapunzel! What are you doing!? Don’t ever do that again! Your hair could have been hurt! You could have fallen out of the window and died!” Screeched Gothel.


	76. Princess Rapunzel and the Charity Auction

Princess Rapunzel was sitting on a small stage in full view of a lot of people next to a man talk very, very fast.

It still felt very strange to be in front of all these people and she wasn’t sure if it was a good or a bad strange. Mama and Eugene were not far away, and it wasn’t like she had to meet everyone and learn their names or anything. 

Rapunzel wanted to be a good princess, but it was so odd what was expected of her, sometimes. All she had to do was sit there and touch the presents from the storerooms of gifts she had. 

The auction had been going on for the better part of two days and everyone was hoping it would be done soon. 

Mama had thought that a yard sale wouldn’t be a very nice way to deal with all the gifts. It would seem ungrateful to just dump them like that. Rapunzel agreed with that, she had had to work very hard for all the gifts she got from Mother. 

A better plan was to have a charity auction. The proceeds of which were going to go to the orphanage.

Eugene had picked Mama up and twirled her around yelling, “I love you!” Papa had started laughing, but she had seen some of the staff look offended. Rapunzel had felt bad, she wanted to say that to her parents and Eugene, but it didn’t work anymore, she was so broken inside on that. 

Even after Mama and Eugene had tried explaining what an auction was and her part in it; it had made no sense to her. Each answer she got just kept creating more and more questions. Auctions had led into barter, into monetary systems, to media of exchange and schools of economic thought, which exploded into more questions then she could ask. 

After four hours Mama and Eugene asked for a break, it was just too much and her own head was hurting too. 

Some quiet time painting in the Pub Thugs as cherubs near the ceiling had helped, but standing on a ladder wasn’t as fun as hanging from her hair had been.

At first, just listening to the auctioneer was a fascinating exercise. She didn’t know a person could talk so fast. It had taken a little while for her to figure out what he was saying even some of the time. So many of the words made even less sense then normal. The numbers at least made a little sense, they kept getting bigger. 

She did find that she could make the numbers go even bigger if she let her hand linger on an object a little longer then she had on another, or smiled when it was placed next to her. 

She tried not to do that too much; it didn’t feel right for some reason. 

It was so hard to figure out how to be a good princess when cause and effect didn’t seem to link together very well.

It was also hard to sit still for so long, and not wave to people she recognized and sometimes even remembered the names of. It was easier then remembering the names of the birds since the people all looked so different from each other, mostly. 

But there were so many twins in the kingdom, it was really hard to remember who was who, and it didn’t help when they dressed the same. Mama had told her that twins were more prevalent in this part of the world; no one knew exactly why.

Finally, it was over and everyone stood up and clapped and cheered. Rapunzel smiled, this at least made sense again. Then she had to give the headmistress a bag of gold, which was heavy. 

The best part was giving each orphan a new blanket. Each one said thank you and gave her a hug. But there was one little red-haired girl with big grey eyes that had taken her new blanket like it was the most precious gift ever, she said it was the first new thing she had ever had and that she was so thankful that there was such a wonderful princess in the kingdom. That little girl had totally captured Rapunzel’s heart. 

“Thank you,” said the little girl with curly red hair and big grey eyes in a tattered red dress, as she curtsied awkwardly.   
“It’s the nicest thing anyone had ever given me. It’s the first new thing I’ve ever gotten.” She stroked the soft, warm blanket. She was trying not to cry from gratitude, but was not doing a good job of it.   
“You’re the best princess ever,” she said as she threw her arms around Princess Rapunzel’s neck.

“You’re welcome. I am a princess. I am your princess and I want to help you,” said Rapunzel, putting her arms around the little girl. And that had made returning home, with all the confusion and tiredness Rapunzel was experiencing, worth it.


	77. The Picnic Tree

Sometimes Prince Eugene wished he could talk to the animals like Princess Rapunzel could. She’d made friends with virtually all of the local wildlife. Who knew that they had so many squirrels, chipmunks and birds just in the palace gardens? Speaking squirrel might be helpful right now.

Eugene and James his bodyguard were just wandering in the forest looking for a good place for a picnic, someplace away from the palace. A picnic would be fun for everyone. 

They had already passed the debris field from the dam break. This was crown land and so was unoccupied. A few places upstream were damaged, a couple of mills lost their waterwheels, but no one was hurt. That was good, he’d hate to think he’d hurt anyone, even though Max was the one who broke the dam.

They had found Shorty not far from here. No one would admit to who thought it was a good idea to dress him up as Cupid again and tie him to a bunch of sky lanterns after the coronation. The PubThugs all swore it wasn’t them, when he confronted them about it.   
Flynn shook his head; for a kingdom mired in depression for decades, they sure knew how to party. 

He was a prince now, which made him shake his head again. Prince Eugene actually didn’t sound half bad. He really wanted to honor the King and Queen, whom someday he would be able to call Mom and Dad. That was a thought that still sent thrills up his spine. He’s going to be part of a family again; a good, functional family. 

He wanted to be worthy of being called son, which meant so much more to him then prince.

Flynn Rider threw an oath at him from the back of his mind. Flynn Rider didn’t need parents; that was true, but Rapunzel needed parents and she had them and he was going to make sure they got to know each other. 

No matter what!

So now he is going around arranging ‘firsts’ for Rapunzel to experience with her parents, the looks on everyone’s faces after going swimming was worth more then a really big pile of gold and jewels. And with her being stuck in a tower for the first 18 years of her life; that left quite a bit of life to do for the very first time. 

He hoped they wouldn’t, what did Queen Rebecca call it, oh yes, step on any snakes in the grass of her soul. That stupid little garter snake had scared Rapunzel onto him like that silly rabbit did, but this time she had screamed so loud his ears had rung for the rest of the day. 

Those snakes, it could be a word, phrase or action that reminded Rapunzel of her time back in the tower. They tended to hurt in subtle ways that just made life harder then it needed to be. 

Then the guards showed up. 

Boy, did that take a lot of explaining. The Guards did not trust him at all, even if the king and queen said it he was worthy of trust. He wasn’t surprised, there was a lot of baggage there; he had been the greatest thief to ever strike the kingdom. He was glad the Queen was there to smooth things over.

Getting up at dawn to comfort Rapunzel’s latest screaming nightmare, without complaint and with lots of love, meant so much to her; it was one snake-free way they could show her love. 

The nightmares were something that concerned them all and not just her parents, but also the entire staff. 

Once he learned that the kitchen staff was sending up rosemary tea-- Light, but that tasted like boiled branches with a dollop of paint --as a nightmare relief, he had gone down and thanked them. It was one thing to be sympathetic to someone’s suffering, but quite another to try to do something about it. That was the kind of action that won real respect, especially in an orphanage. 

He’d gone down and talked to them about arranging a couple of picnic baskets. The head chef was a very pleasant looking woman, very curvy, with blue eyes, dark hair and a streak of graying hair. She had a fast hand with her wooden spoon. He saw that when he came in, as she stopped an old minstrel from sneaking a cruller. 

Flynn gave her proper respect.

Eugene hoped he could find a suitable tree soon, it was strange but for some reason he began to hurt if he was gone too long from Rapunzel. Like his skin was getting too small for his body or something. Though if he was feeling it, what might she be going through? He didn’t want her in pain, but it was hard to surprise someone if you never left them. 

Though she always had that special smile that was just for him when she saw him again. 

He walked closer to the beach and could see the palace and knew she was there. They were talking to various tutors to find out what she knew and didn’t know. She’ll be taking lessons soon, which would take up a fair amount of the day. Eugene figured that once she was in the groove, they’d come after him. He was okay with that, he wanted to become the best person he could; for her sake.

Flynn Rider was making gagging sounds about how henpecked he was and he wasn’t even married yet. Eugene smiled, better then living on the run for the rest of his life, and he’d be with Rapunzel. Flynn Rider granted him that that was a good deal.

# # #

James was sticking close to “Prince” Eugene, wondering if looking for a spot for a picnic was just a ruse to get into the forest and try to make a break for it.

Prince Eugene stopped and stood on a promontory; looking back at the castle. They were in the crown land the King and Queen had set aside for their personal use before the birth of the princess, apparently on the recommendation of the midwife. James wasn’t sure how that could have helped, but after all those years of trying to get the queen pregnant they had been trying just about anything and everything.

James did remember Eugene had lead the search party for Shorty, that drunk little midget, who had been dressed as Cupid and tied to a bunch of sky lanterns. Eugene seemed genuinely concerned, when he saw that. Shorty had come down near here. James had had a hard time keeping his face straight, watching Eugene berate the Snuggly Duckling gang over that incident, who all claimed to have not been involved. Eugene wasn’t all that small, but most of the thugs were a lot bigger than him, and seeing them cower before his righteous anger was rather fun.

James considers how he ended up as one of Flynn ...Eugene’s bodyguards. 

He’d been standing watch over the Lock protecting the Queen but also the Lock of Hair the kidnapper had left in the crib. The queen had a separate Lock Guard for her, Jason had been on duty for her that day.

It was quiet, simple duty, much different from search duty. They would go out in pairs on the ships as they go to foreign ports to search for the Lost Princess. Looking for a girl with sunshine blonde hair and green eyes. It was amazing how many there were in the world, but how few that were the right age, and none had been the Princess Solara. 

That the kidnapper had stayed so close to the palace was inconceivable.

It was also amazing how often a blonde girl and her “family” would come to the palace to be tested. They were averaging about one every other month. He’d seen several. He’d been on duty that time when two showed up at the same time. That had devolved into a screeching cat fight. It was always a good story for laughs and a round at the tavern. They had ripped out enough hair that the Seneschal didn’t even need his scissors that time. 

Occasionally, a false princess would try to rouse the people in some way, but after so many there was just too much cynicism to get worked up over a false princess. They would be politely told to go to the palace to be tested and then the celebration would begin, if they passed. They always had the poutiest faces when they came into the Testing Chamber.

James knew that Captain Taygon worried about the kingdom. It wasn’t just cynicism that was an issue, but depression too. So much effort and it had all come to naught over and over again. Everyone tried to do their best, but it hadn’t seemed to have mattered to the universe. Everyone tried to take some sliver of joy out of what they were best at, but there wasn’t anything left over to share. 

The kingdom still had a strong reputation, but the leadership, outside of the king, had been so worried. But now they had an heir and even a “prince,” of sorts. There was hope and life flowed through the streets. It was a great time to be alive in Corona. 

He’d escort the false princess to the border and politely, but firmly remind her to never enter the kingdom again. They all looked good and scared when he turned on the malice. He would never want to hurt them, but they wouldn’t be allowed to hurt the royal family, they had endured enough pain and suffering over the decades; enough was enough.

A few girls had been used by criminals to try and buy time to get away from the guards, that never worked. But it was convenient, they were close to the prison and punished as the law demanded. They always seemed so surprised that they never had a chance to get away.

He had thought it was going to be another one of those. Flynn Rider hiding behind a girl claiming to be the lost princess probably hoping for an opening so he could escape yet again. Not on his watch. Stealing the Crown of the Lost Princess and getting away twice, was not to be tolerated. 

The girl wasn’t even blonde. He was wondering if he would have to pull one of his swords, he even had the handle in his hand as the Seneschal had made the cut, but incredibly the girl was the Lost Princess. That had surprised everyone, so many girls hadn’t been the true princess and now she was home, it had been so long since they had actually thought it would happen, that they forgot how to react to the happy ending. 

Captain Taygon wrote that lesson down in big letters on the training room chalkboard.   
“Be ready for the happy ending, even if you don’t expect it.”

Now he was escorting Flynn Rider, no Prince Consort Eugene Fitzherbert, looking for a tree to have a picnic under. Eugene seemed so distracted lately. It was so odd, he didn’t seem anything like the stories and the ballad had described the thief.

He was so caring and gentle to the Princess. 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer had extra guards on the palace vaults, but Eugene hadn’t been near them. They had extra guards around him so he wouldn’t sneak around the palace, but he hadn’t tried once, which seems so out of character for Flynn Rider; he’d supposedly snuck into one heavily guarded house just to seduce a baron’s daughter. At least that was what the Ballad of Flynn Rider said.

The king had told them that they could trust Eugene, apparently he passed a test of some kind. The queen had talked to him too, but she had the most hope for people. James thought the queen would even be nice to the Kidnapper, if they had caught her.

James knew from the talk in the mess hall that the guards were having a hard time with Flynn, er Eugene being in the palace and being made Prince Consort to the Princess.

Flynn Rider had been an increasingly bold thief for years. But it was the cocky attitude and preternatural ability to escape justice had been grating for the guards. They had often been close to capturing him and he’d always seemingly vanish from right under their noses. The wildly brazen thefts that had lead up to the Theft of The Crown of the Lost Princess had been bad enough. 

But stealing the crown had been too much, not so much for the crown, but for the effect on the king. King Leonard was a good king — so much had gone wrong for their kingdom — but he still kept trying and so would they. James had heard how the king had had quiet tears running down his face as he had looked at the empty pedestal. 

The Palace Guard had mobilized in force to find Rider. The guard weren’t bad guys, though not up to the elite level of the Lock Guard but that wasn’t their job, they protected the palace from ordinary threats, and dealt with law enforcement around the kingdom. And they did that competently and professionally. But it had been frustrating for them to not be able to capture Flynn Rider, and hearing that Ballad of his; celebrating his conquests and exploits in the taverns wasn’t fun for them. 

It didn’t help that the ballad had a really catchy tune to go with it; that most everyone caught themselves whistling from time to time. That drives the guards insane when they find themselves doing that. Flynn Rider had finally been captured and the Palace Guard had finally gotten some sleep in the barracks and then there was a prison break, and he had somehow actually stolen Maximus, of all horses, or maybe it was the other way around. The twins made it hard to sleep and lack of sleep made it hard to remember. 

James had been standing watch in the Testing Chamber thinking of ways to make things worse for their plans, when Flynn Rider and Princess Rapunzel were brought it. There had been a few occasions when a criminal tried to hide behind a girl claiming to be the Lost Princess, it was low. They would just be bidding their time looking for a way to escape. 

They were always so surprised when they found themselves on their knees in his grip. Flynn Rider wasn’t going to get away from him!

James knew he didn’t look like much, but then that was the idea. Lock Guards weren’t chosen for intimidation factor; well, there were a few of those, but mostly they wanted to just look like flunkies. The idea was that assassins and kidnappers would not see them as the biggest threat, they would take down a Palace Guard first, which would give them time to react, and even behind them were their wives, the Lock Maids. 

His wife was tending their new twin boys, they made sleep challenging, but they were so beautiful. He’d had to get a new target for his wife, her knives had worn down the last one. She wasn’t going to let her knife throwing skills deteriorate just because she was nursing the babies all the time. She was getting even more deadly with all the practice time she was getting in, he smiled.

He turned, he knew “Prince” Eugene was looking for a nice tree to have a picnic under with the princess and the royal couple, looking back at the palace wasn’t going to find it. It was so odd looking for a tree to have a picnic under. It seemed out of character for Flynn Rider, but in the last two weeks being so close to “Eugene” it seemed like the thing he would do. He looked like Flynn Rider but didn’t act anything like that annoying song said he did. It was like Eugene was Flynn’s good twin or something. He was helping to look for a good place for a picnic, that would be good for the royals, they needed some good times for memories with their daughter.

“Sir, what about this one?” Asked James.

Smiling, Prince Eugene turned away from the view of the palace and there it was, the perfect tree. Strong, low branches, a good-sized boulder for mounting the lower branches, so even the king and queen could climb it if they wanted, and a good view of the ocean. 

“Yeah, this is good. Thank you. James,” said Prince Eugene.

# # #

Eugene still had to figure out how to get them here and arrange the picnic. But those were other details he could be close to Rapunzel for. It was going to feel extra good to give her a hug when he got back.


	78. The Farm

“This is a farm, food comes from places like this; there are many of them in the kingdom.” The king was explaining to Rapunzel where the food comes from for the kingdom. Rapunzel could recognize things like the plants Mother had fed her all the time and she was excited to learn where the eggs came from.   
Ducklings were so cute and fun to talk to; they had that fun little lisp.  
She had seen pigs and some other animals which she had painted on her walls. Mother had told her what they were after she had painted them, but they always ran away when she tried talking to them. She thought having to shout to be heard might be frightening them.

Going to the farm also counted as a first for Rapunzel and her family, and those were good.

All those years in the tower and her ignorance was at times startling. Often, it was easier just to show her, well, not exactly easier, since in the showing lots more questions would pop up. It would take so long to get through them all. 

They never seemed to reach the bottom of the questions. 

As they got close to the farm, Rapunzel saw some white geese waddling down the path. She padded up to them on her bare feet, Mama worried about that but Rapunzel just didn’t care for shoes. Rapunzel started chatting with the geese. She had had lots of bird friends in the tower, one of the few animals who could reach the top of the tower.

Mama had introduced her daughter to some of her animal friends that lived in the palace gardens. Rapunzel had always had that gift, Rebecca had only gotten the ability after she had married Prince Leonard, that had been so surprising, when the bluebird had flown up to her and chirped, “Hello, princess.”

The geese lead Rapunzel back to the farm, the hem of her blue dress swaying as she waddled with them, a happy smile on her face, Pascal riding on her shoulder. Where she talked to the chickens and ducks in the yard. 

King Leonard was explaining how there were farms that did different things, this one focused mainly on fowl; others on cows, or pigs and still others on wheat and other grains or vegetables. As the sea was right there, they also had a fishing fleet.

Rapunzel had liked the fish she had and thought the fishing boat they showed her was very interesting, but fish were not very nice looking. Mother had fed her mostly fruits, and vegetables and honey. Though eggs, milk and cheese were available too. Between the botany book and asking Mother questions she knew quite a bit about fruits and vegetables. 

She also knew that eggs came from chickens and milk from cows, which can be made into cheese, which they had done a few times, but Mother mostly brought cheese home, which was different from what they made in the tower. Mother said there are different ways to make cheese, most much more dangerous then what they could do in the tower. 

But Rapunzel had never seen a chicken or a cow.

Papa was now explaining about the barn and why farms needed barns after she asked about that. When Rapunzel heard a squawk she didn’t quite understand and a thud, from around the side of the barn. Curious, she walked to the corner of the barn. 

Just as she turned the corner she heard another squawk, there was a large man holding a ginger chicken on a block of wood; in his other hand, over his head, was an ax. 

The ginger chicken saw her and squawked, {Help me!} 

The ax came down before she could do anything. Her mouth dropped open, just as the rest of her family and a guard came up beside her. 

“What did you do that for?” she asked in a tiny voice as the man threw the rest of chicken into a dripping basket, where it flopped around a bit longer.

The man looked up and saw the group, and recognizing the King and Queen, went to one knee.   
“Sire, I wasn’t expecting you so soon. I was just preparing some chickens for dinner for you and your guests. My wife is working on some parsnips and peas to go with them.”

“Thank you, George. Rapunzel had questions about where the food for the palace comes from…” The king began chatting with the farmer.

Rapunzel had gone all pale. Things were adding up in her mind: chicken, birds, dinner, eating. And the result was…

She tottered behind a nearby tree and fell to her knees, her short brown hair splaying over her face. For years her only friends had been the birds that had flown up to the tower window to be with her and talk to her. 

Her only friends before Pascal had shown up. Who was in a distressed mauve on her shoulder, he knew something was going badly for Rapunzel. Her was rubbing his head on her cheek, but she wasn’t responding to his loves.

The friends Mother would lock the window for, to keep them apart. The friends she had endured so much for, so she wouldn’t have that punishment, just so she would have someone to talk to.

The thought of eating them made her stomach flutter in a way completely unlike how Eugene made her stomach flutter and it didn’t feel good at all. Rapunzel was panting.  
She had eaten some at the palace, she hadn’t known what it was. 

Now she did.

She felt terrible; guilty and horrified. Rapunzel began to weep into her hands.

Eugene was beside her immediately and her Mama an instant later. Pascal wrapped his tail a little tighter around her throat and nuzzled her.

“What’s wrong? Did the blood upset you?” Asked Mama kindly. She was guessing Rapunzel was upset by the slaughter of the chickens, many children are upset by that; seeing blood spilt like that can be traumatic for children. It was a normal part of life for her, but she kept forgetting just how far from normal Rapunzel’s life had been. 

Rapunzel breathed a few more times. “Mama, for most of my life before Pascal came to the tower, my only friends were the birds. We would talk about seeds and baby birds and nests and the weather. I would tell them my hopes and dreams. They would make pretty displays while flying for me.” 

“Mother would punish me by locking the window and I would have no one to talk to. I endured such pain from Mother just so I could keep that window open and have someone to talk to. And I ate them at the palace. I ate my friends. I never want to eat anything ever again.” Rapunzel’s voice is full of disgust for herself as she finishes speaking and begins crying into her hands again. 

Eugene and the Queen hug her tightly, but share a look of concern over Rapunzel’s head that speaks volumes, would she eat anything again when they got home? Bad enough that Mother hadn’t fed her well; now they couldn’t either. 

And now there was no magic hair to keep her healthy.

The King smoothes things over with the farmer, and apologies as he tells the farmer that they would be going home immediately rather then staying for a tour and dinner. The farmer had no problem being understanding, but he didn’t know what the problem was, figuring the princess was having a problem with all the blood.

“Chickens wouldn’t have been able to find you at the tower, they weren’t really your friends, not like those birds at the tower or in the garden.” The queen tried to comfort her daughter, she could talk to the animals too, ever since she got married to Prince Leonard. 

“But that chicken asked for help, I wasn’t fast enough to stop the ax.” Rapunzel wept.

Queen Rebecca’s eyes went wide. She had grown up the daughter of a baron, but they had been not-so-well off. She had dispatched any number of chickens and helped with the pigs and cows too. She had always thought of them as food, even after she befriended the birds, squirrels and other animals of the gardens and forest, after she became a princess and found she could communicate with them. 

But none had ever asked for help from her like that.

“I’m sorry, but chickens and the rest here on the farm are raised for food.” The queen tried to explain.

“Please, don’t ask me to eat birds, they were my only possible friends in the tower for so long. Please.” Rapunzel begged. 

“But what about the other animals: cows and pigs? They could never have come to the tower,” asked Eugene, trying to help, he was getting a little panicked. Would she eat anything, even vegetables, now that she had seen where they came from? Rapunzel had to be able to eat something.

“Can you talk to them, mama?” asks Rapunzel. She thought she might be able to and that scared her. She had tried to make friends with those animals that had found the tower canyon, but shouting down from the window tended to scare them away.

Rebecca’s face goes all sad, she wouldn’t, couldn’t lie to her daughter, not even for this; not if she wanted a real relationship with her daughter. Rapunzel’s life had been filled with so many lies. The queen bites her lip and nods.

“Oh, please, no.” Rapunzel shrinks down between them in their arms.

“Fish! Fish has to be fine, you can’t talk to fish, can you?” asks Eugene of the queen, desperately trying to find something his beloved would still eat. 

The queen shakes her head.

“But the dolphins?” asks Rapunzel, remembering talking to the local pod when she had learned how to swim, which had been so much fun. She was friends with the dolphins.

“Dolphins aren’t fish, dear. They are mammals, like us. We don’t eat dolphins.” Mama explained.

“So what is the difference between mammals and fish?” Asked Rapunzel slowly.

“Mammals breathe air and are warm-blooded, while fish breathe water and are cold-blooded.” 

“What’s warm-blooded and cold-blooded?” Rapunzel sounds normal again, and asking questions. The queen and Eugene answer as best they can.

The queen begins to relax a little. It looks like they stepped on a snake, and it had been a very nasty one. She’ll talk to the chef and explain, there were lots of ways to make fish and vegetables and fruit, even leaving out chicken and beef and pork, and still eat healthily. 

Mama was trying to figure out her own child. The talk they had had after her dream about Eugene, had shown her how innocent her daughter really was. She kept having to go back and explain ever more basic concepts, to the point that she had to explain that boys and girls are different and the major differences between them. They would find these huge gaps in Rapunzel’s understanding and it was so puzzling. Rapunzel was so smart about so many things, but so terribly ignorant in others. She had started interviewing tutors, but she was beginning to wonder if she should go the other way, instead.

Rebecca was so scared, if Rapunzel would never eat again that would have been awful. She wouldn’t let her only child starve herself to death, but she wasn’t sure what the solution might be.


	79. But It Wasn’t The Same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nightmare.

Rapunzel held the body of her new dream in her lap. Eugene had saved her from her terrible promise to Mother. The terrible promise that was supposed to have saved him. 

She needed him. 

She loved him and she didn't know how to give that up, even as Mother's screams still echoed. Everyone she had ever loved was being taken from her. It felt like her heart was ripped from her chest.

Rapunzel threw her head back and screamed, “EU-GENE!!” It was a cry, a wail, a dirge, a call that would make any man claw his way out of his own grave to answer. 

Eugene almost did, only the combined forces of heaven, earth and hell could hold him back, and the angels and the demons wept to do it.

Eventually, there were no more tears left for her beloved thief, and the numbness began to take her. She, ever so gently, put down the head of Eugene and stood, she went over to Mother's bed and took the blanket and covered his cooling body. 

With one first, last and only kiss, she steeled herself to leave. She stood up straight and took a step toward Pascal and the window sweeping her arm back for her hair, so she could go down. 

She stopped in surprise when her hand came back empty. 

She looked at her empty hand and then through her fingers she could see the limp, lifeless, chestnut brown coils of her formerly magic hair. 

Rapunzel crashed to the floor in a crumpled heap. The utter despair of having lost the one thing that had defined her whole life crushed her to the floor. There were tears left for this and strength enough to lift herself up on her arms, throw back her head and utter a throat wrenching wail of utter grief and inconsolable loss. The tears steaming into her ears. All strength leaving her, she falls again to the hard, cold tile floor a sobbing mass of sadness, writhing in emotional pain. 

Pascal slowly limps over to her and gives her wet face a nuzzle. Through her sobs, Rapunzel slowly and gently strokes her only remaining friend in the world.   
{I’m sorry he's gone, I was beginning to like him.} says Pascal in animal-speech.  
{I know, so am I.} replies Rapunzel.  
{To live is to die, someday.}  
{But did it have to be today?}  
{Is there ever a good day?}  
“No.“ Rapunzel cries out in human despair as the sobs take her again, writhing on the cold, cold floor in agony of soul.

The numbness comes for this too. Slowly the tears stop and the strength returns to her limbs. Feeling her own emotional fragility, she doesn't look at her hair or blanket by the stairs, or much of anything really. She plucks the brown cloak off of the hook by the window, Mother always wore a cloak Outside. Leaving the shoes that didn't fit and with Pascal on her shoulder moves to the ladder that leads into the depths of the tower and freedom and home.

Ever so carefully she moves down the ladder, counting each step and rung to distract herself from everything that is above her. A small part of her still wants to live, to find her real parents, they might love her and she could love them, but it won't be the same, will it? Some much of her wanted to die, but Mother made it so she wouldn’t ever even think to do that to herself.

She pauses coming out of the base of the tower, blinking in the bright sunshine. She didn't really know the way to the kingdom, but she was pretty sure if she could find the road to the Snuggly Duckling, she'd find a way. There was love out there for her to share, wasn't there? She was going to find out.

Settling the cloak on her shoulders she moved around the tower. Maximus trotted up to her.   
Rapunzel almost smiled, {Max, you're here. It's so good to see you.}  
{It is good to see you again, too} Max looked around, {Where is Eugene?}  
{I’m sorry Max. He saved me, but I couldn't save him.}  
{Oh. He was a good rider. I shall miss him.}  
{I miss him, too.}  
Rapunzel wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Her sadness was beyond tears now, but his warmth was reassuring that she still lived.

Finally, she broke the embrace and she saw it. At the base of the tower was the black cloak and the red dress, held down by a crumbling pile of dust. She took the steps toward it and fell to her knees; her limbs with just enough strength to hold her up, her arms limp at her sides. Her emotions wanted to war with each other, grief for the loss of Mother, even though she hadn't been her real mother and hate for all the years of pain, but the numbness had claimed her. 

Max put his head next to hers and asked {Who was this?}  
{It was Mother, but not my mother. A lie, she was the one that took me.}  
{It is best to leave lies behind for truth.}  
{Yes, the truth. I am the Lost Princess.}  
{Truly!} Max asked happily.  
{Yes.} Rapunzel said sadly.  
{Then I know where you need to ride to and I can take you there quickly.}  
{Thank you Max, I need the ride. You are a good horse.}  
{Come, I will take you to the stallion that sired you and the mare that foaled you and you will be happy again.}  
{I hope so Max, but not yet.}

She sat there a long time, the sun moved in its appointed way across the sky. Palace guards came chasing Flynn Rider and found her still there. 

The sergeant leading the group was happy to see Max, but could feel the despair coming from Rapunzel. Something terrible had happened here. Waving his men to silence, he approached, carefully. 

“Good-bye, Mother. I wanted to love you most.”  
Rapunzel looked up at the guard, and his heart broke to see the utter sadness in those great, green eyes. 

“Hello, ma'am. Are you all right?“

“No.“

“Can we help you?“ 

“Yes. I am the Lost Princess. This was Mother, she stole me as a baby and kept me in this tower to keep my power to herself. She was killed by Flynn Rider, who died to set me free. His body is above.“ Her face was a mask of sadness as she pointed up to the top of the Tower.

The guards were happy that Flynn Rider was dead, but they did not want to disturb this inconsolable grief they were unprepared for.

They had standing orders to bring in any claiming to be the Lost Princess at all cost. They formed a guard of honor for her and her grief.  
Rapunzel passed the Test of the Lost Princess and was reunited with her parents, who listened to her story. There were tears, there was a celebration, but it wasn't the same.

The king declared Eugene Fitzherbert a Hero and they gave him a state funeral and his tomb read: 

\- Eugene Fitzherbert // Flynn Rider -  
\- Hero -   
\- Freed The Lost Princess -

But it wasn't the same.

Rapunzel was a good, kind and wise princess, but it wasn't the same.

Her people and her parents loved her and she them, but it wasn't the same.

Her parents found a great-hearted man to be her consort and he loved her and she came to love him, but it wasn't the same.

She bore heirs and children, and she loved them, but it wasn't the same.

They forgot Flynn Rider was a thief,   
they forgot he was a rogue, but   
they always remembered he was the Lost Hero.

She ruled wisely and well, and she loved the people and they her, but it wasn't the same.

For her birthday she was happy and gay, but forevermore the day after her birthday was a day of mourning;   
for the price one pays,   
for special gifts,   
for true love and   
for lost heroes.

They launched lanterns, 

but it was never the same again.

# # #

Princess Rapunzel, wrapped in her covers, rolled out of bed and crashed onto the cool marble floor. She couldn’t see through her tears, as she tried clawing her way to Eugene. Rapunzel was crawling to where the curtain to her room was in the tower, even as she had no idea which way her door was in the palace, which burst open with guards. She was dragging the useless, trapped, tangle of her legs and blankets behind her, screaming Eugene’s name with her whole soul.


	80. Gothel and the Baby

Gothel was looking at the body of the goat. She had stolen that goat to feed the baby. It looked like it had fallen down and broken its neck. How could that happen? Goats are supposed to be able to climb anywhere and eat anything.

Just then the baby started to cry. Now what was she going to do?

The baby was hungry and she was going to cry until she got something. She just didn’t have anything suitable for a baby to eat. The only thing the canyon had for food was a patch of rapunzel. She found it very tasty, it was the best rapunzel she had ever eaten, but babies just find it too bitter. 

She needed food and not just for the baby. She had found the tower a few days ago and was still trying to settle in. She had explored the canyon a little, but she needed to do more.

Gothel walked around the tower and climbed the stairs, the cries of the baby echoing down the stairwell. 

What was she going to do now?

They had water at least. She had lugged up a bucket of water from the stream, primed the pump in the kitchen and gotten it working. 

Food was an issue. She had a little money, but it wouldn’t last long. The hair could keep them healthy, she’d had to do that to survive a few famines, but the hunger pangs were terrible. She’d eaten grass and mud to stave off the hunger pangs, just so she could function.

She still had the garden at her old place, but she didn’t dare go back there. It was too close to where the flower had been. Someone might be looking for her to come back. Besides it would take most of a day to walk there and back. She couldn’t leave her flower alone that long. Something could happen to the baby. It would attract too much attention to have the baby screaming from hunger as she walked there.

What was she going to do now?

Gothel clambered up through the trapdoor and rushed over to the baby. She picked up the baby, who calmed somewhat, expecting to be fed. 

“What am I going to do with you?” asked Gothel of the baby. She ran her hand down the long golden hair. The baby looked up seriously.

“I didn’t want this...you. All I wanted was my Flower. They stole my Flower. I would have been happy with just a piece to keep me alive, but it didn’t work. I have to live, I just have too. I promised.” Gothel was pleading with the baby.

“What am I going to do with you? I’m no good with babies. I’ve never had one. I was saving myself. I have to take care of you. So you can take care of me. But I don’t know how.“ Gothel all but wailed hugging the baby close.

The baby groped at the neckline of the dress Gothel was wearing. Gothel pulled her away, and the baby began to cry. The baby was hungry. She reached out toward the bosom of her kidnapper, again.

Gothel was puzzled for a moment, then understood what the baby wanted. The baby wanted suck. 

“No, no, no, no, no.” Gothel put the baby on the bed, swished the curtain aside and walked onto the balcony overlooking the main room of the tower. 

How could she do that? She would have to expose herself to that baby. Gothel put her arms over her chest.

She turned to look at the crying baby, who was reaching out toward her. Could that work? Mothers gave their babies suck and so did wet nurses. She was a woman, she should be able to do it, shouldn’t she? 

“Why couldn’t things have remained easy?” Thought Gothel. She hadn’t stolen a flower, she had kidnapped a baby. A baby looking at her crying big tears from big green eyes.

Gothel turned from the baby, who screamed louder. She could just lock the baby in the room below them. She would be safe there and the screams muffled a little. Then she could go looking for food, and do all she wanted and needed to do. To go to her waiting place and watch for Jonathan.

But that wouldn’t be right. She had cared for the Flower, brought it muck to feed the roots, water when there was drought, and watched over it while it got plenty of sun. Even if she did keep it hidden from everyone.

To lock the baby, her Flower, away would be wrong.

She still needed to take care of the Flower, even if it was in this baby. It was what she had to do. It was what she had always done. 

Gothel turned back toward the baby and reached behind her and unbuttoned her dress. She blushed a rosy red down to her navel as she slipped the dress off her shoulders. She picked up the baby and held her close and the baby latched on.

Gothel gasped at the intensity of the sucking. “This had better work soon.”


	81. Eugene Digs In Deeper

The Charity Auction for the kingdom’s orphanages had raised quite the sum. 

The people had been extremely generous in bidding on the princess’ presents. Knowing that Eugene was an orphan that had saved the princess didn’t hurt either. 

Eugene had sat on the platform near Rapunzel and it had taken quite the effort to keep his mouth from dangling open most of the time. Flynn Rider was just wandering around, in his mind, in a daze bouncing off of things, like algebra and polysyllabic vocabulary words. People were bidding hundreds of times the street value for these items. Flynn knew that the street value for most things wasn’t nearly as much as the retail value, but this was insane. 

After the first few items he was wondering how to get in on the deal in some kind of honest way, but by lunchtime the number was so big it was getting hard to hold on to and there was still a day and a half to go.

When it was all over the number he was holding in his head had stunned Flynn Rider, like a really big frying pan. 

Eugene had helped out enough in the orphanage, before he became Flynn Rider, to have a good idea of what it cost to take care of a child. This would take care of a lot of children.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer and his staff had counted all the money and set it aside. But even Eugene knew with that much money you could do more with it then leave it in a vault to be spent. 

That is where the bankers came in. 

After the auction they had had Princess Rapunzel give a token bag of gold to the headmistress of the orphanage Eugene had grown up in. Everyone had been very happy doing that, but it was only a tiny portion of the money. 

The plan now was to refurbish the buildings, give the children fresh bedding, and new clothes. 

Eugene had told the king that he would personally make sure that the workers would do good, fair work. He had seen and done underhanded deals involving construction and was going to make sure that the orphans were treated right. 

He had been standing before the king and queen with his hands on his hips, telling them that. The royal couple had shared a look and then the king asked, “This is pretty important to you, isn’t it?”

“You bet it is. I grew up in there. The food was sometimes iffy, the building falling apart, one of the first things I stole when I started becoming Flynn Rider was to get some material to patch some holes, because it was so cold.

“The headmistress tried, but she was good with children. She wasn’t as good getting donations. If a donor dropped out, things could be tough until a new one was found.

“I know you did all kinds of things for the orphans, Queen Rebecca. But there were good times and bad. The worst times were when we were scammed, which happened too often. Workmen hired to fix the roof or something. They would be cheap to hire and also too incompetent to do a good enough job to keep us dry or warm.

“There was that really cold winter when I was a kid. I was scared that some of the younger kids might freeze to death. We worked together to figure out how to stay warm, she put the sick kids in the kitchen and the girls in the room right above it and the boys in the room above that. We stuffed rags in the holes around the windows and slept in a pile to stay warm. And we all lived!” Prince Eugene finished with pride in his voice.

“I’m so sorry, why didn’t anyone ask for help,” asked the queen, her green eyes big and her heart going out to the orphans.

“We appreciated all you did, we had lost so many donors we didn’t want to overdo it on any of the ones we did have. It’s a weird kind of pride thing orphans have going on, but most of the ones that grew up and got successful donated. Even Flynn Rider did.” Eugene said with a lopsided smile, looking away from the people he wanted so desperately as parents. 

The king and queen gave him a look of sweet pride, which embarrassed him.

“Well, I was wondering who to put in charge of the orphanage project, it looks like I found the right man for the job,” said King Leonard, smiling.

“What, me? Are you kidding?” Prince Eugene said in disbelief.

“The only way we are going to be able to trust you to have you do something to earn it. For some reason, I think we can trust you to do the best you can on this project. And I am pretty sure you will also keep the orphans from being scammed.”

“You bet I will.” Eugene said decisively.

“Good. So Prince Eugene, do you accept responsibility for the orphanage project?”

“Yes, I do.” Eugene said confidently.

“Good. The auction brought in quite a bit of money, and we want to make it last as long as we can. So I am planning to talk to the bankers later today about setting up a trust to manage the money. I’ll see you there. Three o’clock, the east conference room.” The King and Queen got up and left.

“Ah, yes, sir,” suddenly Eugene was feeling a lot less sure of himself. As prince consort he now had an office and a budget, and there was going to be a meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about it tomorrow. 

But the bankers?

Now he was going to be in charge of a really big pile of money, today! Flynn Rider was begging him to spread some of it out so he could make snow angels in it, just once, please. 

There just had to be a catch in here somewhere, but he just couldn’t see it.


	82. You Are Not My Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nightmare.

Rapunzel was clasping Eugene’s hand. She was shaking so hard. They were standing on a balcony, and she could see further then she ever had before, and as frightening as that was, it didn’t compare to the feeling of finally meeting her parents. Would they love her? Would they accept her? Would they know her?

Mother was dead, Pascal was hurt, her hair cut, brown, lifeless and dead. But Eugene had come back from the dead to be with her. It had to be okay. It would work out some how.

The door opened behind them. Rapunzel turned and their was a woman, a woman that looked so much like the new her. A few drifting steps to be near this woman. Her eyes not leaving the other’s. A hand coming up to touch her cheek. She smiled a tentative smile.

“You are not my daughter,” declared the queen.

Rapunzel’s heart came loose from her chest and fell into her stomach. “But...”

“My daughter is blonde. You cannot possibly be my daughter,” and the queen began to back away.

All of Rapunzel’s muscles let go and she collapsed to the ground. “Please...”

“Wait, your majesty. Please,” called Eugene. “Look at her, she looks just like you!” he declared.

“So?” said the king, “other impostors have come, all with blonde hair and green eyes. A mother would know her own daughter even after all this time.”

“She had blonde hair. I but it this morning and it changed.” Eugene explained.

“How can hair change color?” The king said doubtfully.

“I don’t know. Her hair was magic, it could heal and it changed color when cut. Ask the PubThugs they saw her with blonde hair.”

“Them? We hanged them this morning.” declared the king.

“Maximus, he could vouch for her.” Eugene tried desperately to find someone they could trust.

“A horse? You expect us to take the word of a horse that she is our daughter!? What kind of fools do you think we are, Flynn Rider? First, you steal the Crown of the Lost Princess and then break out of the prison. Now you come back with this insane a story!? Do you know what it does to us to meet a false princess?“ shouted the king.

“She’s not a false princess, please. Look at her and the queen, they look alike.” Eugene grabbed the arm of the queen and tries to drag her over, but the king grabbed his wrist and squeezed hard enough to make him open his hand.

“You dare touch the royal person! Guards, take this criminal and this fraud to the prison!” The king took the queen in his arms and guided her back into the palace.

“No, please, you don’t understand. She really is your daughter. Why would I come back, if she wasn’t?” Eugene called as guards swarmed him. 

Rapunzel could only sit there in terrible, unbelieving grief, a pair of guards picked her up and dragged her away. 

# # #

Rapunzel was alone in her stone cell, curled into a ball, rocking back and forth. This was all her fault. She should have never left the tower. Mother was dead, and she was about to be too. Her own parents didn’t recognize her. Her life was destroyed.

Pascal had limped out of the cell hours ago, he said he was going to try to help. 

The door squeaked open. “Come on, you.” Ordered the captain of the guard.

She saw Eugene between a couple of guards. 

“Eugene.” She ran to him her one anchor in this insane and dangerous world she now found herself in. She wanted to hug him, but she was caught by a guard and her hands forced behind her back and handcuffed together. 

“It’s going to be alright, Rapunzel. We’ll figure something out.” said Eugene.

Rapunzel was trying to hold herself together. She was going to die, and she had no idea what that was like. Mother had fallen and turned to dust, would she turn to dust too? Mother had been screaming so much. It was going to hurt a lot, and she didn’t have her hair anymore to fix it and make it better.

There were banging sound behind her. Eugene had knocked out the guard holding him. She tripped the Captain of the Guard as he passed her. Eugene jumped over his handcuffs and knocked out the guard holding Rapunzel. Eugene searched the guard and pulled out a key, soon they were free.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here,” said Eugene.

“Pascal is still missing,” said Rapunzel.

“We’ll see if we can find him.”

They stop at intersections and Eugene peeks around the corner. They rush down the corridor, they hear guards coming and they duck into a room. They hear the guards walk past. Rapunzel sobs. They had found Pascal too. He was on the table there was a ring of keys nearby but he had been cut in half.

Eugene holds her, “I’m sorry. Now we have to get out of here.”

Rapunzel nods. She is all numb inside.

They run through many corridors, and make it to the courtyard. 

They see the exit, but they are surrounded by the captain of the guard and a hundred guards as he steps out from behind a column near the exit. “You thought you could get away from me again, eh Rider?” 

“Sorry, Rapunzel. I tried. It wasn’t supposed to end like this,” said Eugene.

“I know,” said Rapunzel taking his hand, gently.

Guards clamped irons around their wrists and ankles. Rapunzel cried out as they looped some rope around her elbows and tightened it so much they touched. She felt so helpless as they dragged them through the prison.

Rapunzel looked with pleading eyes at her parents, but they looked away. They made her stand on a square on the platform. A guard looped and tightened the noose around her neck, the coarse rope scratching her delicate neck, while another bound her knees tightly together. They then put a hood over her head.

Rapunzel whimpered. She was completely helpless and totally scared, nothing like this had ever happened to her before. Why hadn’t she stayed in her tower?

“Eugene?” She asked shakily. 

“Yes, Rapunzel.” She heard Eugene’s muffled voice from her right.

“How long will it hurt?”

There was a long pause. “Not long, then it will be over. You’ll meet someone over there. He’s ...nice. He’ll give you a good hug.” Eugene said awkwardly. He had met a man after he died this morning. He had hoped not to meet him again so soon, but it would be okay to be there again. It hadn’t been so bad the first time.

“Will we be together, at least?” asked Rapunzel

“...I don’t know, I think so, I hope so. ...You were my new dream,” said Eugene.

“And you were ....”

# # #

"... Mine!" shouted Rapunzel as she ripped open the collar of her nightgown from around her throat. She flailed around so violently her blanket and sheet went flying across her palace bedroom.   
Pascal and his pillow were flipped off the bed as she tried to stand, wanting to run and find Eugene.

“Eugene!” Rapunzel screamed as she flopped onto the side of the bed. She couldn’t get her legs to stay under her as she sobbed uncontrollably. Rapunzel crawled trying to get to Eugene.   
Guards, parents and Eugene pelted into the room to protect her and comfort her from her nightmare.


	83. How Gothel Retrieved Her Flower

Being an old woman sometimes had its advantages. Few people noticed an old woman walking just about anywhere, especially if she was carrying a broom, looking like she was sweeping the floors. She could easily move around the palace, in this old, breaking down body. 

Gothel was looking for the Flower. She desperately needed her magic, golden Flower, she hadn’t gone so long without it’s power in centuries. She was aging quickly and it was getting harder to move and function. Her body was breaking down.

It was beginning to hurt a lot, too. It was like she could feel Death’s cold arms around her waist, wanting to take her. 

There was far too much hubbub to try to get her Flower back during the day. Not that it had been left as a Flower; it had been turned into a tea by the herbalist and then drunk by the ill queen, before she had even made it to the island kingdom. That was understandable, that is how all other medicinal plants worked, but the Flower worked in other ways. She had heard the song on the wind the day the drop of sunshine came down. It had been a special gift for her and she was going to protect it. It let her wait for her true love, Jonathan, to come back to her.

Gothel had wandered around the marketplace the morning after they had stolen her Flower for the ill Queen. She wasn’t exactly sure what to believe about some of the rumors. The ones that had scared her the most were the ones of the Flower dying before getting it to the Queen, but that fear was put to rest when the Royal Family was at the plaza balcony, the Queen looking completely healthy. 

The King had thanked them for making another miracle happen. 

Another rumor that concerned her was that the queen had glowed with power. She’d never glowed when she used the Flower’s power. Gothel had discounted the rumor of the Queen becoming the sun goddess, but she was still glad that one was put to rest when the king and queen appeared at the plaza. 

If the queen was infused with the power of the flower, how would she be able to access it without everyone knowing? It was hers to protect, not theirs. But getting a job in the palace that allowed her to get near the queen had proved impossible for her. 

She was too old.

That the baby was born with sunshine gold hair had been amazing news. Maybe that rumor of the child being the sun goddess was accurate. It looked just like the color of her Flower. She had seen it when the royal family had launched that one silly sky lantern into the evening sky. 

She had thought the queen would be infused with the power, but the Flower looked like it was in the hair of the baby. She wondered why, as she waited for the sun to set so she could run her plan, but that made rescuing the Flower easier. She just needed a piece to sustain her. She had never dared harm the flower by plucking a leaf or petal, it was too precious. But it should work, plants were still useful after they were harvested, even her magic, golden Flower should follow that; it had, to save the Queen. Didn’t it?

Getting into the palace hadn’t been all that hard, things hadn’t changed all that much over the centuries. No one noticed a querulous old woman, and she even asked a few of questions of a gossipy maid. She’d just swept the yard and then walked inside and sweep the halls until she had found the royal nursery. 

A piece of the hair should sustain her, Gothel hoped it would, she had her scissors. She really didn’t want to take a child. Kidnapping was a terrible crime. 

But they stole her Flower! They destroyed her Flower! She didn’t think the power was gone, but maybe it was. 

She had to know!

Later, in the dead of night she snuck in over the balcony. It had been a terribly hard climb in her aged body. And they had left the balcony door open, how nice of them and the crib was right there too.

Gothel sang softly and lo, the babe’s hair glowed just as the Flower had. She was becoming wonderfully young again. She pulled out her scissors and snipped a small piece off, but it turned brown and all her years came back. 

A piece wasn’t enough.

Gothel faced a terrible dilemma. Take the babe and live or leave and die. She had nurtured, loved, the Flower for centuries, but to take an innocent child...

I promised! I must live! I have to wait for Jonathan! They stole my Flower! My Precious Flower! I must rescue it!

She grabbed the child, who woke and began to cry. The king and queen sat up, and with a flourish of her cloak, Gothel vanished over the railing of the balcony. 

“Solara!” Screamed the Queen.

“Stop!” Commanded the King. 

Gothel leapt from the second story balcony, beginning the special healing song even before hitting the ground.

“Guards!” she heard the King yell as she falls.

Gothel screamed as her legs broke with loud snaps, when she hit the ground, curled protectively around her Flower. Sobbing out the rest of incantation, she was healed and young again. 

She ran for the sally port she left unlocked earlier and had used to enter. The baby was still crying, but Gothel stuffed a finger in the baby’s mouth and the baby soon quieted as she sucked contentedly.

Gothel ducked down several alleys, as guards ran past to the bridge.

Gothel carried the sleeping baby in her arms, cradling her most precious Flower. She headed to the harbor. She tried to move fast, to stay ahead of the guards. She knew the bridge was the fastest escape route, but also the most heavily guarded. She had arranged a rowboat earlier in the day. 

Gothel stepped onto the creaking wooden planks at the harbor’s entrance.

“Halt, who goes there?” A guard called. He’d heard the alarm; he didn’t know what it was about yet. He had been walking to work from his home near the harbor when the alarm sounded. He was the first by far to the harbor, the second most likely place for someone trying to escape. 

“Just little old me,” tried Gothel in a sweet, innocent voice. Trying to cradle the baby nonchalantly in her arms in front of her. She knows she doesn’t have long before more guards arrive and seal the harbor. A simple bluff often works.

The baby began to cry. The moon came out from behind the clouds revealing the long, shiny blonde hair of the baby.

“Don’t move! You’re under arrest!” Shouted the guard pulling his sword out, steadily holding the tip of his sword in front of Gothel’s belly. “There was only one baby with hair that long and shiny in the kingdom, the Princess Solara! This woman must be trying to kidnap the princess!” He thought.

Gothel froze. 

She had to rescue her Flower, there was no other option. She would die without her Flower, she would do anything to keep her Flower. An insanely desperate plan came to mind.  
In a fluid series of motions, she shifted the baby to her hip, and pulled out her scissors, striking the sword with them; trying to deflect the blade.

Even in her young state, she isn’t strong enough to do more then move it slightly to one side, the guard is too powerful, but it is the side away from her precious Flower. That is enough for her for now; she lunged forward, impaling herself on the strong guard’s sword. 

The guard’s mouth dropped open. No one throws themselves on a sword like that!

Grunting, Gothel felt the sword slide through her kidney and out the back of her body, she took another step and was close enough. She plunged the scissors into the wide left eye of the guard, who is too shocked to try to block her or even cry out before he dies.

They collapse in a heap. 

Gothel rolled away from the guard, and with a scream pulled the sword from her own body. Shifting the crying baby to her belly, she held the precious hair to her injury and weakly began to pant the healing song. She finished it strong and healed again. 

She wrenched her scissors from the brain of the palace guard and added his dagger to her booty. She needed more then scissors to protect herself, but the sword was too big.

Hearing heavy boots on the cobblestones, Gothel quickly ran to the dock and the boat she had chosen earlier and dove onto it, paddling away as they find the body of the guard she killed. A cloud covers the moon, a fog forms and she disappeared into the night.

The baby slept again, so she covered her Flower with her cloak and rowed away from the island in her darkened rowboat. Gothel relaxed; she had done it, she had rescued her Flower. Reaching shore, she pushed the boat off and started inland. 

She couldn’t go home, they would look around where the Flower was found. It had been in her backyard really. Why didn’t they ask? She was going to miss her other clothes, especially the blue dress, that was her favorite, but the red went with the black cloak better. 

She needed to find a new place to live, a hidden place to care for her Flower. Someplace safe. She trudged over the broken ground. 

Some place she could protect her precious Flower forever. A place to keep it safe from those who took it and destroyed it once already. She gently smoothed the hair of her Flower, giving it a kiss. She loved her Flower; had rescued it and it had cared for her.

She set off into the forest. Hoping to find some place safe enough for her Flower to thrive in.


	84. Back to the Tower

“Rapunzel. Your mother and I were wondering if you were ready to go back and show us where you lived,” gently asked her papa, King Leonard of Corona. As they sat together on a white, whale-embroidered sofa waiting on dinner, just being close for a while.

It had been two weeks since the Return of the Lost Princess. The celebrations were over, detailed stories were shared of each of their lives. Things were settling down. Rapunzel was feeling better. The chaos of the celebration had been overwhelming at times. She had some bad experiences, but she had also had so many wonderful experiences, too.

One of the experiences that had gone not so well, was when they had shared some brandy the evening after the Coronation. Eugene had drunk the small amount of amber liquid in one gulp. She always watched how other people ate things now, so she wouldn’t hurt herself. So she had emulated him. 

Bad idea. 

She had thought her head and chest were going to explode or something. She had coughed so hard, she had to sit down. It tasted worse then paint. How anyone could drink it, much less enjoy it; was beyond her. Then there were the hiccups.

Eventually, she had calmed down and Mama explained that it is more enjoyable to take small sips. She’d said that she’d rather not try any more. The others seemed to enjoy it, but then something odd happened, it felt like the bindings on her mind were coming loose. She felt unsteady. 

It was so hard trying to become a good princess, she had to meet all kinds of people and try to remember their names and faces, and she often felt like she wanted to fly apart. She had to spend so much effort and energy to control herself, holding herself together.

Now she felt like she was loosing that control, her mind coming loose, unraveling.

She had clung to her Mama as they cuddled on the sofa, hoping the feeling would go away, and after an hour or so it did. Mama had put her to bed, and she had felt fine in the morning, well, after she calmed down from the nightmare (an old one for once, the thunderstorm, but it was so much worse then she remembered), but it had been very scary, it had felt like her mind was unravelling. 

But in the week since, things were much calmer and she was feeling a little better. Except for the screaming nightmares, quiet time in the afternoon and sitting together after dinner they hadn’t established much of a routine yet, but there were hardly anyone new to meet, mostly tutors, though more meetings to attend. 

She got some extra rest and time to work on her paintings. The paintings seemed to help, she was beginning to feel protected in her room, now that most everyone was painted in. Eugene looked rather protective in his armor. She was hoping it would help the nightmares, but it hadn’t so far.

One thing that went really well was what they figured out to do with all the presents that people have given her over the years, that she couldn’t really do anything with. They had held a Charity Auction, with all proceeds going to help the orphans and orphanages. 

She’d had to sit on the stage next to her parents and other important people and someone would bring out an item and she’d touch it and people would raise their hands. She had no idea what was happening, but she could see patterns in the bidding and counter-bidding. It was fun.

The man running the auction could talk so fast. It took a little while for her to understand what he was saying and so many of the words didn’t make sense at all. Even asking Mama afterwards didn’t help on some of them. 

But she now had a dictionary and that was fun to read, but sometimes it was so frustrating. She would be trying to find out what a word meant and it would lead her a merry chase through so many interesting pages and lead her right back to where she started. Sigh. 

She’d have to talk to Mama at that point.

Afterwards Papa said he was so proud of her for donating all those things, they had raised enough money to renovate the building and setup a trust fund (more questions), to provide food and clothes for decades. Eugene was really happy about that. 

Meeting all the orphans to tell them, especially that little redheaded girl, had made her finally feel like being a princess was worth it. 

She was talking with tutors too, trying to map out what she knew and didn’t know. Her ignorance had embarrassed her, but Mama had consoled her that Mother had tried to keep her in the tower by keeping her ignorant of so much. 

She wished that Mother had really loved her. Maybe they could have worked something out. 

She was so disappointed in Mother so often lately. Mama, Papa and Eugene were showing her what love was really like and it was nothing like what Mother shared with her ...well, mostly, sort of; but just like what she shared with Mother. 

Based on the description of where it was, the Lock Guard had found the tower and secured it without disturbing it. In case their charge had a desire to go back to it from time to time. They did clean the blankets that they found in the stairwell, they were beginning to stink something awful. They reported back to the king and queen what they had found and done.

Princess Rapunzel took a breath. She stilled her hands as they sought the hair that was no longer there. Her papa was across from her, Mama had gotten up to check on dinner and Eugene was in a chair nearby. “Yes, I think so. You should see where I lived, where I grew up. You’ve shown me so much about yourselves by showing me around the palace and the kingdom. You should know me better by me doing the same for you.” Rapunzel was trying to be brave. The Tower had been her prison her whole life. She still missed it from time to time and that made her feel bad. 

“Oh, no. The blankets, I didn’t put the blankets away.” Rapunzel started to freak out. She had done a bad. Mother would punish her for forgetting.

“Rapunzel, it’s fine, you put them in the stairwell, they’re fine there. Mother’s dead! The blankets are fine.” Eugene came up and comforted her, it was getting late and it was more difficult to hold herself together. Being held by Eugene helped with that.

The family was learning that Rapunzel needed a lot of support in the evenings, when her emotional reserves were low. Adjusting to life outside of the tower was a new and different challenge for the princess. They were trying to make it easier for her, but they could only learn by doing. The love of her parents and Eugene seemed to help so much.

After a few minutes the princess calmed down, then Rapunzel smiled at her Mama. “Oh, I can show you my gallery, and the candles. Oh and my guitar, lute and sewing. Yes, I must show you all of that.”

Then she continued shyly, looking down, “And if you wouldn’t mind I’d like to bring my things here. We left in such a hurry to help Maximus and meet you, we didn’t bring anything. I miss my clothes and others things.” Rapunzel desperately missed Joey, her doll. She hadn’t needed Joey so much after Pascal came. Now, though, with all the things happening, she felt the need for her loving support.

“Not that what clothes you’ve given me are bad or anything, but they just aren’t what I am used to,” finished Rapunzel, not wanting to sound ungrateful. She’d had to work so hard for all her things.

“Yes, of course, dear. You should have your things, so you can feel more at home,” said Queen Rebecca kindly, putting a gentle hand on her daughter’s knee.

# # #

The next day they rode out to the tower. Rapunzel rode Max, who lead the way. It was an easy journey, but the queen noticed her daughter getting quieter as they got near, though there were a lot of birds around them, calling that they had missed Rapunzel. They passed under the vine curtain that had so effectively hid the tower for all those many years. 

“Oh, it’s so beautiful!” 

Everyone looked at Rapunzel, who blushed.

“Well, I never really saw it from the outside. When Mother and I came back it was dark, and the first time I left I didn’t bother to look back since I wanted to leave so much.” Rapunzel tried to explain.

“Ha, You should have seen her, by the time I got to the bottom of the tower she was running as hard as she could for the exit. You’d have thought she’d stolen a crown or something,” Flynn smiled broadly.

“And the last time I couldn’t look back, it was too painful.”   
Eugene’s smile dropped off his face with a thud.

# # #

Rapunzel got down from Max, her eyes on the cloak, dress and shoes that still lay at the foot of the Tower, her prison, held down by a pile of dust, all that was left of the person she had called Mother for 18 years. She knelt down next to it and her Mama kneeling next to her. 

Rapunzel looked at her Mama, her real mother, with tears her eyes. “Mama, please understand, and help me understand how I feel. I spent 18 years loving her and calling her Mother and trying to please her. I loved her. When I understood what she had done to me I hated her, but at the very end, when she was screaming, I wanted to take away her pain. When she tripped and fell from the window, I tried to catch her, because I didn’t want her to go away.” Tears flowed down her face.

“As far as you knew she was your mother, and you are a good, loving person. You want... no, you need to help others. As you have told us about how she treated you, how she was continually trying to crush your spirit, there were times I felt white-hot hate.” The queen said ferociously. 

The king put a hand on her shoulder, she put her own hand on top of his and looking lovingly at her beloved daughter, “But I look at how you are, how you treat others, and how capable you are. You are a truly good person. There is no shame in feeling as you do.”

They hugged tightly.  
“Would it be acceptable if we took these in, and put them on her bed? Just leaving them here doesn’t seem right,” asked Rapunzel

“Yes, that would be fine.” The women worked together to fold the clothes and carry them up.

# # #

“Rapunzel, be careful of all the glass on the floor.” Mama said as they climbed up through the trapdoor.

“Yes, Mama.”

Rapunzel padded, barefoot, over to the nook where Mother had slept, carefully stepping over her dead hair and placed the folded clothes tenderly on the end of the bed. As she took a deep breath through her nose, the smell of her tower caused a flood of memories. There was so much she remembered now and yet it wasn’t really home anymore, either. She knew, now, that it had been her prison, but it had never felt that way to her. It felt so complicated; so much did, she hurt so much inside because of that.

She could also smell something rotting in the kitchen.

“Oh my, this was your hair?” The queen was kneeling and holding a loop of the dead brown hair that covered so much of the floor. Having been told she had had 70 feet of hair was very different from seeing it in real life. “How ever did you ever get around?” 

“It did seem to get in the way all the time. And I spent so much time brushing it and brushing it and brushing it.” She moved to get the brush, she stopped as she saw the chair and the stool and her face fell.

“What is it, dear?” asked her mama.

“Well, whenever Mother wasn’t feeling young enough she would have me set out her chair and my stool by the fireplace, and she would brush my hair as I sang. She always did so much for me and it felt so good to be able to do something for her. To show her my love for her. But now I know that she was just using me, my hair, to stay young. Oh, it’s complicated.” Rapunzel shook her head.

“So what should we do with the hair?” Eugene asked very gently, with the blankets in his arms. The Lock Guards had washed them in the stream previously, because they stank badly. But after drying on the bushes smelled much better, and they had replaced them in the stairwell so their charge could do with them as she wished.

“Well, it hasn’t got any power anymore. So it isn’t worth taking, is it?”

“But it was yours.”

“It was and all my life it made me feel special. But I am special now in a different way. I am the Princess of Corona.” Rapunzel smiled.

“I still have the Lock that was left in your crib, so I don’t need another one.” The Queen said as she touched the place where the vial lay on the end of its necklace.

“We should leave it on Mother’s bed. She was the one who wanted it so much.” Rapunzel decided in a quiet voice, trying not to hear the sound of her hair dying in her mind, but she never touched her hair again.

“Let’s clean up this glass,” said the Queen.

With a grateful look for the change of subject Rapunzel dashed off for the broom and dustpan as the Queen looped the hair into a neat pile on the bed. 

“What is this face doing here on the floor?” The king asked as he swept up some glass. There was the red face with the pointy teeth. 

“That was a face Mother painted to scare me when she was telling me about men with pointy teeth that would come to cut my hair.” Rapunzel frowned. “You know, I haven’t actually seen any people with pointy teeth.”

“There aren’t any people with pointy teeth, dear,” said her mama.

“Oh, another lie then.” It wasn’t a question.

“Actually no, there are people with pointy teeth,” began Leonard. “I met Ota Benga, a chief judge from the Kingdom of Congo, down in Africa. He is studying our laws at the law school for his king. He has pointy teeth, filed to points as a rite of manhood in his culture. He’s is a good, honorable man, he wouldn’t cut your hair.”

Rapunzel was stunned, it was so hard to know what truth was when things like this happened. Mother lied sometimes, but not always, and sorting through it all was slow and hard.

As they came to the stairs, Eugene stooped down to pick up a large shard of mirror. “This was it, wasn’t it?”

“What?” asked Rebecca, who was nearby looking to the plain room under the stairs, thinking it had been her daughter’s room, though it did have a good-sized mirror in it.

“What I used to cut Rapunzel’s hair and this is where I died,” as Eugene touched the chain that was still wrapped around the banister, looking at the bloodstain on the floor, his own blood. “This feels very strange.” He gave a shudder.

Rapunzel went around pulling open the draperies and the windows to let in the light. She looked up and frowned, “What’s wrong?” asked Eugene. 

“Well, without my hair I can’t open the upper shutters to let in more light,” pointing to the lever high in the rafters. 

“Oh, that. No problem.” He pulled out a length of rope from his satchel, gave it a twirl and hooked the lever, “If m’lady wishes to do the honors.” Rapunzel laughed and pulled on the rope. Light poured in revealing the interior of the tower. 

The king and queen were near the center of the tower slowly turning in place, amazed at the paintings that completely filled the walls. 

As they gathered up the things Rapunzel wanted to take back home, she explained the stories behind the pictures she had painted, some which were quite involved, as she sketched them onto a book so she could be sure to remember them. After explaining her star chart, Papa said, “You’ll have to meet with the court astronomer, he’d love to see your take on the stars.”


	85. Something The Hair Can’t Heal

“I hate you!” Screamed little Rapunzel, who ran up the stairs to her room. She swept the curtain closed behind her and flopping onto her bed, crying in rage.

Gothel was standing by the closed window, panting. It had been terrible argument about going outside. They had been screaming at each other. She sat down in the window seat to try and calm herself down. 

Gothel felt awful. It hurt that Rapunzel had yelled she hated her. Gothel knew she wasn’t really Rapunzel’s mother, but she tried to love the wonderful little girl as her own, but protecting the gift was more important than going outside to play. Her flower had to be protected. She couldn’t go outside.

It still freaked her out a little to see all those wanted posters of her old self on practically every tree, but no one had recognized her, she was far too young, most of the time. It made long journeys difficult, coming back old; someone might recognize her.

It had been so hard to resist her little girl’s pleas. Those huge green eyes could be devastating, when Rapunzel went all puppy dog begging with them. It had taken so much willpower not to give in and let her go outside.

After a while, she heard Rapunzel singing the special healing song and wondered about that and moved up the stairs. 

Then it came again, with weeping. 

“Rapunzel, what’s wrong?” Gothel asked, gently, standing at the curtain to her Flower’s room.

“No.” Came the quiet reply.

“May I come in?”

After a while came, “Yes.”

Gothel found Rapunzel on her pretty canopy bed, her face stained with tears, holding an armful of her hair against her chest. Her doll next to her propped up by a pillow.

“What are you trying to heal?” Asked Gothel gently, not sure what was wrong, sitting on the bed next to Rapunzel.

“My heart. I don't want to feel like this,” said little 5 year-old Rapunzel, not looking at Mother.

“What are you feeling?”

“I'm so mad at you. I know I need to be safe, but I want to go Outside too. I don't want to feel like this at you. I want to fix it, but my hair doesn't fix it.” Rapunzel looked at Mother with big pleading eyes.

Gothel got a tender feeling inside. Rapunzel didn’t want to be angry at her, and was trying to use the hair to heal that feeling away. That was something the hair couldn’t fix. 

Her own heart proved that, Jonathan had gone out to sea to seek his fortune and promised came back, and so she waited for him, because she promised to wait and she never broke her promises.

# # #

Jonathan had loved her far longer then she had loved him. He had been just a hired boy a year or so older then she had been, at the time. He could do just about any work around the manor. She had had to help around the kitchen, she may have been the youngest daughter of a baron, but they weren’t anything special, so she had to pull her weight around the manor. 

Gothel hadn’t been wild about cooking and hated dispatching the chickens, rabbits and pigs they kept. But Jonathan hung around the kitchen a lot, helping. He was always there for her. During her fifteenth year her cat, Tallstar, died. He had been a trusting, beautiful black cat with white socks and belly. After she had come out of the grief depression she noticed he had been there so much for her. And now while he still said, ‘No problem’ to anything asked of him. He said it differently to her than the others. 

One day not long after her sixteenth birthday, she was making vegetable soup for everyone and he brought in the water. And he said “No problem, m’lady” and her insides turned to water. She finally realized what he was actually saying to her. He loved her.

She couldn’t believe it, he was just Jonathan, and she was just a 16-year-old girl. She had to be sure. She asked him to get the large wooden bowl from the top shelf. He reached up with one of his long arms and pulled it down easily. He was looking deeply into her eyes as he handed her the bowl and said, “No problem, m’lady.”

She knew he loved her and realized she loved him. She had dropped the bowl and nearly herself as her strength gave way. But her caught her, of course. Jonathan held her close, she couldn’t remember if it was for seconds or years, but it had felt wonderful.

Then the soup boiled over and she had to tend it and he was gone. She didn’t see him again until after dinner. They were in the yard behind the kitchen. They were holding each other, she wanted to be so close to him. He said he had to leave, to seek his fortune, to be worthy of her. She hadn’t wanted him to leave, but understood he had to try. 

“Promise you’ll come back,” she begged.

“I promise. Promise you’ll wait for me,” he asked.

“I promise, and I never break a promise,” she said. That was true, she did not make promises lightly, and always tried to fulfill them as best she could.

“I love you, so much,” he had said.

“I love you more,” she had replied.

“I love you most.” They had kissed and it was amazing, her heart had pounded, her head had felt light and her toes had curled as she lifted her leg, never wanting to let go. It was true love, she was sure of it. 

Then he was gone and she would go to the seashore at the edge of her family’s property and watch and wait as she still did most days, even now after hundreds of years. 

She had waited and waited. Her family had scoffed at her faithfulness to Jonathan, but all of them had died as she waited. The manor had burned down in an accident. She had released her chattel and had gone to the kingdom and asked to be made a ward of the crown in her dotage, in exchange for her lands. She was old and she would soon break her promise to wait. 

Then one day as she watched the sea on what had been her lands, there was a flash of light and a song on the breeze. A golden flower had grown in moments. She had carefully worked her way to the flower and sung the song and she became young again. 

A miracle had come to her so she could keep her promise and continue to wait for Jonathan. She hadn’t returned to the palace for centuries after that. True love always finds a way.

Jonathan would come back as he promised, nothing could stop true love.

# # #

“What you feel in your heart is something your special gift can't fix. It can fix your heart, but not what your heart feels. Only you can change how your heart feels,” said Gothel to the little girl who held the power of her life in her hair.

“Oh,” said little Rapunzel, looking down for a while, then picking up Joey, the doll Gothel had given her for Christmas, and hugged her close.  
Then she said, “I’m sorry, Mommy.”   
She looked up will those big, beautiful, green eyes; hopeful. 

Gothel knew what she wanted and smiled; holding her arms out for her little girl.  
“I love you very much.”  
“I love you more.”  
“I love you most.”


	86. Rapunzel’s Room

The mama turned to her daughter, “Show me your room, please,” she asked gently.

“Oh yes, it’s up here,” Rapunzel beamed and padded up the stairs. “This is where I figured out I was the Lost Princess.”

Rapunzel twitched the curtain aside and they all crowded into her room. 

“I don’t know if you can see them, but embedded in all these paintings are the sun your, ah, our sigil has.  
“What is it mama?” The Queen had paused at the entrance to her daughter’s former bedroom.

“I didn’t expect this to be your bedroom,” the Queen said slowly. The bedroom was so pretty, fully painted like the rest of the tower. Behind the work her daughter had put into doing the painting; was the fact that the Kidnapper had provided the paints. That was a lot of paint. The Kidnapper had obviously cared for Rapunzel, the tower wasn’t a plain, dark dungeon. 

Rebecca couldn’t possibly be feeling what she was for the Kidnapper, could she?

“Why?” Asked Rapunzel.

“From what we know about her need to stay young, I would have expected her to keep this bedroom for herself and put you in the nook. It makes her harder to hate. You have a vanity of your own and a very beautiful bed. Yet she slept in a nook. I think I don’t really know as much about her as I thought. She cared about you more that I realized.” Said Rapunzel’s real mother.

“What’s this?” They hear from the king. They turned and saw him holding a large head in his hands. 

“Oh, I made that, its papier-mâché. I made it from the remains of my old sewing book. It had fallen apart and then the ink wore off the pages. It was something I made just for fun, but it scared poor Pascal.” Everyone laughed and Pascal turned an embarrassed pink.

“One of the most fun things I did was read my books.” Rapunzel was telling her mama, moving to the shelf that held them, gathering them up to take home, hugging them close as the old friends they were.

“I still can hardly believe she taught you to read,” said her mama, tilting her head.

“Was that ...bad?” asked Rapunzel in a worried tone, she loved to read, gripping the books tightly.

“No, not at all. It’s just that is … unexpectedly generous of her.” There was that feeling again, how could she possibly be feeling gratitude toward the Kidnapper? The Kidnapper was bad, evil; wasn’t she? She had stolen her daughter, but had raised her to be a good girl.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because one of the best ways to keep someone under control is to never teach them to read. That way they have nothing to compare their life to and know that there is a better way. That is why teaching reading is so important to our kingdom. We want our people to know the best way to do things. What books did she give you?”

Rapunzel looked shocked, you could enslave people by not teaching them to read? 

“Uh, Botany, Geology and Cooking. I used to have one on sewing, but it wore out. I liked the cooking one the best because I could actually use it.” Holding each out in turn.

“While I could grow some plants they were usually small flowers that could fit on the windowsill or from the few hanging baskets we had. Geology was almost useless, I could identify all the major features of the rocks surrounding the tower, but I couldn’t get close enough to see any details. Mother brought up a few rocks but there’s only so much you can do with a small rock at the top of a tower.” She smiled sadly at the end.

“We were also running too quickly through the canyon by the dam to see more then the fact that it was made up of sedimentary rocks.”

The king and queen shared a look.  
“What’s wrong?”

The queen smiled gently. “Nothing, dear. It’s just we don’t know what you know and don’t know, and we’re a little surprised at what we are finding out. It’s going to take some time and we need to get to know each other and that will take time.”

Rapunzel nodded at that, and smiled back. Rapunzel then picked up a small doll from the shelf and held her close with her books.

“Who is that, dear?” asked Rebecca.

Rapunzel held out her doll, “This is Joey. She’s my best doll friend. Isn’t that right, Joey?” Rapunzel made Joey look at her and then nod. Rapunzel and Rebecca smiled.

# # #

They had moved back to the main room of the tower, Eugene was walking past the window and noticed something. “Um, Rapunzel?”

“Yes, Eugene.”

“Does this key really go to your window there?” Still looking at the window.

“Yes, it does.” Rapunzel said stoically, as she put her books on the table where they were collecting the things she wanted to take home.

“Why? I was a thief and all, but locking a window at the top of a 50-foot tower seems like overkill, I climbed that and I might not have been able to do it without the arrows. That overhang was a killer.” Eugene was looking out the window and down.

“It wasn’t so much to keep people out, but to punish me.” Rapunzel said, hugging Joey closely. Everyone stopped and turned to look at her. The queen moved to be close to her daughter, with a sad face. 

“She would lock the window so I couldn’t be with my bird friends or see the sky, if I did something she didn’t like. I often couldn’t tell what would set her off. I would have to be extra careful near my birthday, so I would be able to sneak down and see the lanterns.”

“Oh.” Eugene regretted bring up the key, how could there be so many snakes? Mama and Papa gave their beloved daughter another hug. Eugene could see the look on the Queens face, a look of sick revulsion, directed at ‘mother’s’ bed so that Rapunzel couldn’t see.

Eugene couldn’t stand it. The tower was so beautiful, it couldn’t all be full of terrible memories, not, and still have Rapunzel be such as kind, loving person. There had to be some good memories here too. He just had to fine just one pure, good memory before they left, so this place wouldn’t be a terrible memory for her.

All too soon, one of the guards came up, saying that it was time to go back to the palace. 

“It’s odd,” Rapunzel said, “but the tower feels so small now.” It had been her childhood home, though her prison, and now she was a princess, the palace was her home, at least a little bit.

“Well, is there anything else we need from here?” asked the King, giving his daughter a squeeze.

“Just one last thing,” spoke up Flynn, who had an idea for a good memory. He turned to Rapunzel and put his hands on his hips, “Just where did you hide my satchel?”

Rapunzel smiled, “Oh, that. I hid it under the bottom stair, it is a little loose and comes out easily. Though I do wonder how Mother found it.”

Eugene went over to inspect it. “I don’t know, but this was a good hiding place, much better then the pot.” He turned grinning.

“Oh, that reminds me, I definitely want the frying pan.”

“Ha, you’re really good with that frying pan, maybe we should train some of the guards to fight with it.”  
Everyone laughed.


	87. Making Tea: Rapunzel’s Very First Adventure

King Leonard of Corona was staring blankly out of the window of his study. Holding an unbelievable note in his hand. Seeing folly or miracle in the making.

The midwife had sent him to rest. He hadn’t slept in days, couldn’t really. His desperately sick wife and their unborn child were finally asleep down the hall, but he could find no rest for himself. He had thought comforting his wife after a miscarriage was awful. But this was worse, she was just lying there and he was never sure if she was awake or not. He’d rather have the tears and the screams over this silence.

There were papers scattered over his desk, held down by his crown. Things he needed to do and authorize, things he couldn’t delegate to anyone else, he was the king. Requests for Letters of Marque against pirates, international trade agreements needing to be signed, threats of war. He just couldn’t care right now. Had luck fled their fair kingdom? What was wrong? Why did everything keep failing? He tried to be a good king.

His family was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. 

He could see the running lights of all the boats in the kingdom moving across the water. The kingdom was searching for a miracle or they were on a desperate, futile quest. His forehead touched the cool glass of the window. 

He felt overwhelmed by the love their kingdom kept showing them. For all these childless years the people had supported them. The people had prayed and fasted as the royal family had talked to every doctor, herbalist, magic user and midwife in the kingdom and some outside, trying to produce an heir for this fine kingdom. 

Then, finally, seven months ago they had discovered the queen was pregnant. His pajamas had been a total loss, but he didn’t care. No one did, they had sent him dozens of new ones, celebrating the pregnancy. 

This was their fourteenth pregnancy, and the entire kingdom was holding it’s breathe. Something had gone wrong with the other thirteen, ending in miscarriages and stillbirths. Burying them had been awful beyond imagining. 

There was the terrible frustration of being almost successful. This should be their fourteenth child, but all they had to show for it was a marker with thirteen names and dates engraved into the dark stone, and thirteen tiny bodies in the cold, cold ground beneath a beautiful little garden.

There was no food withheld from the queen. Anything she wanted, the merest whim, was granted her. She had had a strong craving for rapunzel, and often ate pickles with cheese, of all things. The pregnancy had progressed normally.

But the queen had gotten sick, very sick. Again.

Until a couple of weeks ago she had been fine, fierce and fiery, active and attentive. Not even complaining about being in bed all the time.

But something had gone wrong. 

Again.

They had called in those people they trusted most in these matters. Their instructions were followed and potions were taken, but the queen still got worse. Hope kept getting ruthlessly crushed over and over, again and again.

The queen had gotten so sick the court magician had volunteered to try to do what she could when all else had failed. There was enough magic in the world that most kingdoms had a court magician of some kind. Their’s had been a witch who did quite a bit of research to try and help the kingdom and people. When it worked, it had helped. She was not for entertainment like many others were. He had liked her, she a had flamboyant personality as big as her girth.

But magic was dangerous. 

That lesson had been brutally reaffirmed when she had exploded, and there was no one to tell them why. A small part of him, he was not proud of, had been thankful that it had happened in the magician’s sanctum and not the royal bedroom. The clean up was continuing, she had been a substantial woman. 

He had been sitting next to his beloved wife, holding her hand as the sun set beyond the windows this evening. There had been nothing left for them to do, expect pray for a miracle. Then a young maid, who had come to attend the queen, singing a little lullaby about time. The maid, someone new he did not recognize, had spoke of a magic, golden flower formed from a drop of sunlight, that had the ability to heal the sick and injured. 

But she didn’t know where it was, just somewhere on the coast, in the forest. 

It sounded like a fairy tale. He had turned back to his wife, sadness etched his features, he didn’t have that much hope within him anymore; to search for some magic flower that may or may not be somewhere in the vast forest on the coast. A tear dripped into his beard as he held the hand of his beloved wife and queen as her eyes had fluttered closed as the sun set, running a hand over her belly, but there was no answering kick from within. 

He hadn’t seen his Seneschal and Captain of the Guard look at the girl, then share a look between themselves and leave with her. 

He had finally been ordered by the midwife to leave his sleeping wife to find some rest and solace in his study, but there was none.   
He obeyed her more readily then his old drill sergeant. She was the best in the land, they had followed her orders for two years and they were finally successful, after setting aside land for exclusive crown use, not far away on the mainland for precisely timed games of Capture the Unicorn.

He had found a note from his Seneschal. The kingdom had heard the story of the little maid and the magic, golden flower, and they had turned out. They were going to find it for their beloved king and queen.

He had turned to the windows and seen the lights all along the coast. The incredible love his kingdom was showing them was humbling beyond anything he understood. They had gone on an impossible quest to try and save the queen. How could he be a good enough king for as great a people as this? It had taken a couple of decades of effort just to almost produce an heir. Why did he fail so terribly at being a good king?

Then his new Seneschal Mortimer Danberry came crashing into the room, his clothes torn and mud-stained. “Sire, we found it!”

The king’s mouth fell open, “You found it? It’s real?” He could hardly believe it. A magic, golden flower that heals; a fairy tale, a miracle made real.

“Come, sire. They are getting it ready.” The Seneschal gestured. Together they strode down the corridor to where the herbalist, surgeon, midwife and some guards, including the Lieutenant of the Guard were gathered. The Captain still out with the search parties, trying to bring everyone home safely. 

There is a table filled with bowls and implements up against the cream wall with its fancy border. A brazier with a pot of boiling water next to a side board, the scent of the charcoal adding a warm smokiness to the hall.

Just as they got to the group he heard the herbalist say, “Whoa.”  
And several of them gasp.

“What?” the king asked. The plump midwife jumped as they all turned toward the king and Seneschal.

“Sire,” Wally the herbalist bowed as he began, the king waved off the formality, there wasn’t much time.  
“I have to tell you I have never seen a plant like this, ever before. But I just learned something. I cut one of the roots,” he gestured to the plant sitting on a large platter. There was a withered brown stump in the midst of the twisted green roots. Lit by candles, the blossom certainly looked golden.

“Roots often contain powerful substances, but the piece I cut and the root I cut it from just died in front of my eyes. It looks like cutting it destroyed that part of the plant and the magic.” He held out the brown and shriveled root in his large, flat hand, a knife in the other.

“What else can you try?” asked the king, desperately.

“I can try the leaves,” the herbalist said uncertainly.

“Go ahead. Please,” the king almost begged.

The herbalist turned to the plant and cut one of the leaves, which withered in his hand; the little stem turning brown too.   
“Oh no,” went the midwife, as everyone groaned.   
The herbalist gave a frustrated grunt and slams his knife down on the table.

“Sire, I just don’t know what I am doing, I have no magical training. All I know about magical plant is basically hearsay. There are so few magical plants that can be studied and they are all so different. What you learn from one magic plant doesn’t apply to another, even if it the same species. Sire, I can’t do this, I don’t want to hurt the queen or the baby.”

“Is there anyone else, who can even match you as an herbalist, who can be here in time? I know you. I trust you. Please, what else can you try?” The king almost begged, his wife and child were in the next room. They had found the fairy tale magic flower. There had to be a way to bring it all together to make it work, to save them.

There was sweat on the brow of the herbalist, and encouraging looks on the faces of the others. 

“More light, please,” he asked and everyone moved out of the way as the candelabras were brought around him. Crouching in front of the plant, he began a meticulous inspection of the plant starting at the bottom. Turning the plant this way and that. 

The herbalist had his tongue between his teeth, concentrating; moving the roots and leaves. Trying to really see the plant with his large, grey eyes without damaging it. Trying to understand something about this blasted, magic plant.

He stood and cupped the blossom in his large hands, smelling the orange and lemon scent of the flower. He was looking into the very center of the flower, when the blossom came free; the main body of the plant withered and died.

“No!” Wally stumbled back, this wasn’t what he was trying to do, was it all destroyed? Did he just kill the queen with his ineptness? The king caught him before he fell. A candelabra was pushed over and caught by an armored guard, wax spilling onto him. The others groaned and the midwife sobbed.

There were several gasps as the blossom began to glow intensely.

“Water quickly, in the bowl,” the herbalist cried fearfully, as he stared at the flower, gingerly holding the glowing blossom.

The midwife grabbed the pot of boiling water with her bare hand, and spilled most of the contents into the bowl sitting on the table. With a cry of pain, she clutched her burned hand to her chest; dropping the pot, which spilled boiling water across the table and onto the marble floor.

The herbalist reached over the spill of scalding water spreading over the table and floor and dropped the glowing blossom into the water. After a moment the blossom melted and there was nothing but a glowing golden tea. A powerful scent of orange and lemon filled the corridor.

“Did it work?” asked the king. Everyone looked at each other.

“Well, it looks like the magic is in the water now,” the herbalist said panting, his heart slamming against his chest. That had been too scary.

“Can we test it?” asked the king, looking at the injured midwife.

The herbalist put up a hand and shook his head. “As we saw with the other attempts, this appears to be a fragile kind of magic. Doing something wrong destroys it,” the herbalist let out a frustrated breath, “and we don’t know what the right thing is.”

The midwife held her injured hand to her ample bosom, shaking her head. She would not be the one to destroy the magic.

Wally shook his head. “Sire, I am so sorry, we don’t dare test it, there is nothing left of the flower, if we do something wrong then the queen has no chance at all. But,” the herbalist continued and everyone looked at him. “This is obviously powerful magic.” He waved at the bowl. The glow from the bowl lit up the wall and the ceiling. It was brighter then the candelabras. 

“Sire, I know that the dosage of medicinal plants changes depending on so many factors, but there is a range and there is always more, so you start with a low dose and work up. In this case we have no idea how strong it is, what effect, if any, it will have. A single drop could save her, or the whole bowl might just barely be enough. On the other hand, it could be so powerful the first drop will kill them both.”

The herbalist wanted to weep from the frustration, feeling so close but there was no certainty in what he was saying, having the court magician killed yesterday didn’t help either. She should have been the one to analyze the plant.

“I’m so sorry, your Majesty. I am too stupid to advise you, but I just don’t know and we don’t dare test it to find out.” 

Tears are standing in his large gray eyes, he desperately wants to save the queen. He had researched and tested so many herbs and plants to help the queen, but this was outside of his experience. He was frustrated to feel so close, but he was basically guessing at this point.

The king looked to the bowl of now magic tea and at the assembled experts, and sighed, “There is no one else to advise me on this. We’ve trusted you because you weren’t afraid to say you didn’t know and then you went out and found out the truth. I trust your guesses more then some people’s certainty. What’s your best guess?”

The herbalist felt a bizarre combination of pride and embarrassment that the king still trusted him at this moment. 

Wally took off his dark brown, yellow-slashed coat and stared at the glowing bowl. Putting his hands on both sides of it, the spilled water only warm on his callused hands now. Trying to put together everything he had ever learned about plants and magic and this particular magic plant and trying to fit it all together into some kind of answer that felt like truth and not the answer that he, the king and everyone wanted.

An eternity of minutes passed.

“All of it, the queen has to drink all of it, it is the only answer that makes sense,” he said quietly, looking away. The magic seemed to need to be complete and together, but there was no way to know, not until it was too late.

“Thank you, you’re a good man. I can’t ask you to give this to my wife, I must do it. If she dies because of it; it will be by my hand.” The king placed a hand on the herbalist’s shoulder and stepped forward as the herbalist turned away. The herbalist stumbled into a corner at the end of the hallway to cry into. He didn’t know what he was doing anymore, he may have just condemned the beloved queen and the unborn heir to death. Certainty was so far away from his conclusion.

The surgeon came to comfort him, he knew how the herbalist was feeling. The queen had asked him to perform a Caesarian section on her, it would kill her, but might, only might, save the baby. It was too early to save the baby for sure. They had wait as long as possible. He had spent hours making a kit with everything he needed and sharpened his surgical knives so he would be ready at a moments notice for when there was no hope left for the queen. That time was upon them now. If the magic tea did not work, then he would try to save the baby. He’d be killing the beloved and kind queen to do it, and that was terrible.

They cleared a path as the king walked carefully to the bed escorted by the midwife and his Lieutenant of the Guard. The sky was lightening beyond the window, dawn was coming, but the bowl glowed brighter still.

As the king stopped beside the bed he wondered if it was too late. His dear wife was so grey and limp, even her protruding belly looked flaccid. As he kneeled next to her, he saw her take a shallow breath. He put a hand under her neck and brought her head up. Her eyes fluttered open slightly.

“We have brought medicine for you, dear, please drink.” The King said, as he brought the bowl to her lips. She opened her mouth and he slowly poured in the tea, being extra careful not to spill. They would pause as she stopped to swallow and breathe, her eyes closed. 

“Please, my love, my apple, you must drink it all.” The husband encouraged his wife with that most special name. From the time she had unhorsed him when they had first met, as he had inadvertently led a hunt through her father’s apple orchard. 

She nodded slightly and continued to drink. Finally, the bowl was emptied as everyone watched anxiously. 

After a moment the queen gave a great gasp, her eyes opened fully, as her back arched. The king could see golden light glowing from her mouth, nose and eyes, others saw her glow from her fingers and toes. Her belly glowed as if she contained the sun itself!

Then the beloved queen went dark and collapsed limply on the bed.

The king dropped the bowl and it shattered against the marble floor, had it killed her? Was there no hope left for the kingdom?  
The midwife turned and sobbed into the breastplate of the Lieutenant of the Guard.

Then the queen’s eyes opened and she smiled, “I love you.”  
Everyone stared as the queen put a hand on her husbands cheek.   
“Oh,” said the queen as her hands went to her belly, “and so does the baby.”  
The husband threw his arms around his wife and baby and wept for joy.  
The mid-wife ran and got the herbalist and dragged the crying man back to see for himself that the queen was healed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I believe that something was seriously wrong with Rapunzel. There had to be a reason for the power of the Flower to totally infuse Rapunzel like that. Maybe Sirenomelia, also known as Mermaid Syndrome, often the babies do not survive.   
> One thing about the movie is how invested everyone is in the survival of the princess. Quite frankly until the 20th Century life was cheap. The loss of a baby or two by a family would be expected. But if the queen is getting older and they’ve had a number of miscarriages and still births already, there would be some pressure to have just one child so there would be an heir to the throne. Now suddenly the whole search for the flower makes more sense.   
> The Princess’s very first adventure. Who would have thought making tea could be so exciting?


	88. Happily Ever After

The King was looking at the pile of dusty clothes that was all that was left of the Kidnapper, the person that his daughter still called Mother, and yes, he could hear the capital M when she says it. The person he hated; hated for 18 long, soul-crushing years. 

Was it worth it?

He had sent the Stabbington brothers to run for freedom, in a way they had made it, they did reach the border in time, but then they died. That hadn’t helped any of the pain. Neither did torturing them. Oh, he had just talked to them, but he had seen their faces and knew that he was inflicting pain on them. It had felt so good at the time, it had felt too good; it scared him, more then a little.    
He didn’t like to think of himself as a vicious man. But that was what he had done, inflicted pain for the sake of causing pain and that was wrong. He and his kingdom tried to live by law and provide human dignity to all, even those in prison, because they might be redeemed. 

True, they sometimes had to die for their crimes, that was the law, but you didn’t torture them first. You killed them quickly so they wouldn’t suffer and in relative privacy, so they could have some dignity in death, and buried them properly. 

He had been to other kingdoms, where they executed people in front of jeering crowds, all dignity stripped away. He thought it worse for the people then the convicted, it hurt and twisted the people who were part of that, and he didn’t want to be part of that, nor his kingdom.

And yet here, standing in front of the little coating of dust on the clothes on the bed, that was all that was left of the Kidnapper, did the hate matter anymore? From the description Rapunzel had given them, it sounded as though her death had been terribly painful. She had died screaming, aging all her years in an instant. 

He should... he wanted to... revel — no — wallow in her pain. That she had suffered as much as he did for all those years of separation. He had given up so much of himself in those years, even finally that day when he gave up Hope, he never did give up on Hate.

But all that hate had done nothing to her, but it had done things to him and they were not good things. He looked at the hair, the formerly magic hair that had healed and sustained the Kidnapper, that what was all that was left of the flower that had kept her alive all these centuries, and had saved his wife and daughter. 

With the new wanted poster of the young kidnapper, made from Rapunzel’s painting, they had asked around the villages and towns near the tower. Once they had a name they had gone to the records of the towns and villages on the coast near where the flower had been found. Gothel had not been a very common name, they had tracked her through time, eliminating many others of the same name, but they had found a birth record in the archives that didn’t match a death record. She had been found in the palace records, of all places. She had been a baroness, who had become a ward of the crown in her old age.

Over 500 years years ago.

Somehow she had kept the flower hidden all these centuries, but somehow it was known and rumored to exist and so they could find it. It must have been a terrible loss when it had been found and brought to heal his wife. 

She had a choice to die or to steal a child. 

He understood the will to live, having almost drowned, more then once, an occupational hazard of being the ruler of a seafaring nation. They had tracked her, these past years; she had visited many villages, trying to keep a low profile, buying and trading for things, but she was too beautiful to go unremarked on.

But this wasn’t about Gothel anymore, it was about him. He had to give up Hate. Not just for himself, but for the sake of his family and their kingdom.

“Gothel,” King Leonard said out loud, addressing the dusty clothes. Rapunzel, Rebecca and Eugene all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. “Gothel, for 18 years I have hated you. I hated you as hard as I could, I created diseased imaginings of what I would do to you if I ever caught you. I specifically sought out the most revolting ways possible to hurt you, as you hurt us. I was prepared to let my wife have you; to punish you in the most horrific manner I have ever heard. But all I did was harm myself and my wife and my kingdom.” Queen Rebecca came next to her husband and wrapped her arms around him as he put his arm around her shoulders. 

“Yes, I harmed you by taking your flower, I am sorry. You harmed us by taking our daughter; to use, whose magic sustained you.” Rapunzel hugged on his other side. “I wanted to harm you back for taking her. It would never end, would it? The hating, the harming; I make a new choice today, to end it, to finally give up Hate.” His heart felt warm. 

“To give up Harm.” He felt so hot, it was hard to breathe.

“I forgive you.”

His heart exploded in light. The terrible weight of his hatred was lifted from his soul. He fell to his knees, bringing his family down with him. Tears began to flow down his cheeks. 

He was so full of love he wanted to hug the whole world, to take away all pain and suffering everywhere, to help everyone be their very best. It felt better then marrying his wife and the birth of their daughter. Even the light of the tower was completely different, as if all the colors were brighter and shinier. 

He looked up and smiled. “I’m free.”

# # #

The queen could only gasp in astonishment. Her husband had forgiven the Kidnapper!? How could he do that!? She had stolen their baby, had tried constantly to crush her spirit, to use her only to stay young forever, to keep her trapped here in the tower forever. The Kidnapper had nursed her baby. Her baby still called her Mother.

How could he possibly forgive her? What could be worth that? 

She had loved him all these years, and now it felt like he was completely alien.

But she was looking at her husband. The change in him was incredible. She always found him a good man. But looking at his face it was like the years, no decades, had fallen away. 

And that smile, he was practically glowing. There was a warm feeling around her heart, encouraging her, that this was the right thing to do and do now.   
Should she dare? She bit her pink lip.  
Could she even put what she had felt all these years into words?   
She could feel the love coming off of her husband in waves; for his sake she had to try.

“Gothel,” she began, looking at the clothes. “I hate you. I hate you so much. I hated you so much I would cry myself to sleep at night. You took my baby. You nursed my baby. My baby still calls you mother! I didn’t just want you dead, but to kill you myself with my own hands and teeth, I wanted to drink your blood!”

Rebecca was on her knees, screaming out the words; crying from hate and anguish and pain.   
Leonard had his arms around her; desperately wanting to take the pain away, to share the love he was feeling and give it to her. He knew she was in pain from the taking of her baby, but he had never known how deep her pain and hate was.

Rapunzel was in tears on her knees on the other side of Papa, she knew that Mama got angry, now she knew why; and it was terrifying. She desperately wanted to take her Mama’s pain away, but she knew even if there was a way to reattach her magic hair lying on the bed next to Mother’s remains, it couldn’t take away that kind of pain.

Rebecca had to do it herself; no one else could do it for her.

Eugene was backed against the wall, the sheer ferocity of the queen was frightening.

“I teased out all the detail I dared from my daughter to savor in the sufferings you had when you died, to wallow it! When Rapunzel tells me of the terrible things you said to her to crush her spirit, just so you could keep her to yourself, I would go to my private library and scream out my rage!” Rebecca shouted.

She was panting from the powerful emotions coursing through her veins. 

“But it didn’t help, did it?”

The glow around her heart got warmer.

“You may be dead and she may be home, but even if she were still with you, she would still be a beautiful, wonderful, loving person. She is truly a good person, because of you or in spite of you, and that is all I wanted her to be.” She had gentle eyes for her baby kneeling beyond her husband.

“You were as good a mother to her as I wanted to be for her, and -and I love you for that.” 

She felt Rapunzel’s hand in her own now, along with the squeeze of the arms of her husband around her. It felt like her heart was taking up the whole of her chest.

“I forgive you.” 

The Hate lifted off of her soul like a mountain. Love overcame her like a wave. She couldn’t see because of the beautiful bright light of Love over shown everything. As the massive weight of her hatred lifted, she didn’t even know she had carried, she leaned on her husband to keep from falling over. She was on her knees, but it felt like she was floating. Tears still flowed down her face, but they were completely different now.

# # #

Rapunzel saw the good happening to her parents, her real parents, and the amazing feeling in her own heart. “Mother, I never wanted to hate you, I just wanted you to love me, like I loved you, without reservation. I didn’t understand why or what you were doing, as there was nothing to compare it too.

“You may have thought the tower was a prison for me, but to me it was my home. I was going to come back, to be with you, to heal you. I’ve been disappointed in you, since I left, I have seen and experienced real love. I think, sometimes, you may have even loved me, a little. Had you loved me and not just my hair, I would have stayed, because I loved you with all my heart.

“I forgive you.” 

It felt just like when her hair healed but inside, around her heart and multiplied thousands of times. How amazing. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she put her head on her papa’s shoulder.

# # #

Eugene stepped up next to Rapunzel. He put his hand on her shoulder, he hadn’t really understood what the King had been doing when he started, but right now he could feel it, deep inside. His hate ran so deep. Gothel had killed him and told Rapunzel that it was her fault. The Queen had shown him the way. He knew he had to do something, there were things you took with you to the other side.

“Gothel, you killed me. I resented that, but I hated you more for what you did to Rapunzel. You hurt her even as you killed me. I hate you. I just wanted to be with Rapunzel, no matter the cost. I paid the ultimate price so she would be free of you, because you loved her hair more then her. I would have kept the secret just to have her love with me always. I would have let her stay with you, so you could keep her safe. You killed me out of your selfishness, but had you let love flourish you could have lived forever just like you wanted.

“Gothel, you killed me and I forgive you.” 

The weight that lifted off of his soul almost lifted him off of his feet. He too crashed to his knees. Love overwhelmed his soul, tears ran down his face. It felt like that hug he had gotten on the other side.

“Free,” he panted.

Overcome with emotion he put his arms around his beloved Rapunzel. Together all of them hugged, just like when they had first met and wept, not for sadness but for love, happiness and release. They were free and truly, completely, happy, ever after.

Magic hair could heal the body, but only forgiveness can heal the soul. 

~ The End  
…Of This Adventure ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This is not the ending I intended or expected to write. I thought I was done when Rapunzel went for the frying pan. 
> 
> But I needed this and so do you. A drunk driver killed our first unborn daughter and nearly my wife and I, too. I hated him, I imagined many terrible retributions to be taken out on him, I’m an engineer, I know lots of ways to inflict pain, I’ve done them to myself by accident, but he died too. 
> 
> For weeks I festered in my hate. But slowly I realized, I couldn’t hurt him, he had paid the ultimate price, what more could I ask for? I was only hurting myself and lashing out at those closest to me. So I gave up on hate and gave forgiveness. The load that lifted off of my soul was so heavy, I was so happy, I was filled with love and warmth, I loved everyone; wanting to give the whole world a hug, everything was beautiful and wonderful, even the hospital food tasted better. For a few days things were amazing; of course, it faded over time, but it is still a good memory.
> 
> The Rapunzel, Eugene, and the King and Queen were carrying a lot of hate around and it needed to be dealt with. Even if I didn’t realize it. When we first saw Tangled I found myself weeping during the scene with the king and queen before the launch. That is great acting, especially for CG, kudos to the animation team. I don’t cry during movies, but I knew exactly what he was feeling. 
> 
> I knew the ending was powerful, but when I was narrating the audiobook podcast, I realized that I didn’t fully express the pain the Queen was dealing with. I rewrote it so we could hear her pain of having another woman raise her only child, and the bizarre, incredible feeling of love she had for Gothel at the very end, because Rapunzel is a good girl, which was all she really wanted from her baby.
> 
> I knew there was a good story between the time Rapunzel revives Eugene and the meeting her parents, and also the celebration, but this is the ending they needed, to forgive and to live. I like happy endings and this is as happy as I could make it, even if you are crying, I hope they are happy tears. 
> 
> I think someone out there needs this ending. I hope it helped you, whoever you are. Give up the hate and be filled with love. It really is much better. 
> 
> You may think you can’t live without the hate, but you won’t be alive with it.


	89. Epilogue

The King and the Queen, the Hidden One, the Boy Who Climbed and the Girl Who Needed To Soar; rode away from the Tower on the Good Horse, and passed the vines. 

In the little hidden canyon, the Tower stood and will stand forever. 

And so the Tower waits, in its little canyon, silent and solitary, waiting for someone else that needs to learn to soar, in body or spirit.

= = =

\- Help Me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re My Only Hope.

Belle greets Rapunzel at her castle. She’s to give Rapunzel a run down of the other princesses, before meeting them for the first time later in the evening. She volunteered for this duty. 

There was something important she needed to do, that none of the other princesses knew she knew, though privately Belle thought Snow White suspected something too. She hung around Aurora too much to not suspect. Snow White was a quiet one and those were the ones you had to watch out for.

“Rapunzel, my heart goes out to you. What happened to you was so cruel, we all knew who our enemy was, but you loved your enemy, you thought she was your mother. Snow White and Cinderella at least knew that theirs were stepmothers. As kind and accepting as they were, they knew there was no connection. You truly thought there was.”

Belle pulled out the magic mirror and used it to show Rapunzel who she was talking about.

“Snow White is the oldest of us, but she’s only 14. She’s a blood princess, her father was king. Her mother died and so he remarried and then he died. The stepmother was vain and proud and a witch. She made Snow White into a scullery-maid to keep her down, but it didn’t work.”

“Her step-mother tried to have her killed, so many times, when her beauty outshone her own. But Snow White ran away into the Dark Forest, she almost died of terror until it took pity on her and the creatures of the forest helped her find the dwarves. With the love of the dwarves, she thrived.”

The mirror changed to show a woman in a beautiful shimmering light blue dress.  
“Cinderella married a prince, but she was noble-born. Her father was a baron and remarried after her mother died. But her stepmother prized her own daughters over her and reduced her to a servant for about a decade. Even that could not keep her down. She always had her animal friends to be by her side.”

The mirror showed a peasant girl in a forest.  
“Briar Rose is the Princess Aurora, she is also a blood-princess. What happened to her is the cruelest of all. She was born a princess but was cursed by an evil witch to die before sundown before her 16th birthday. So she was raised in secret by 3 good fairies, 2 of which never gained the slightest clue as to how to raise a human. It’s a wonder that she isn’t feral or insane.”

The fairies appeared on the mirror one by one.  
“Then those fairies, whom she loved as mothers, on her 16th birthday took everything away from her. Her clothes, her home, her animal friends, her mothers were fairies, her true love was now someone she could never see again, they even took away her name. She had been given gifts: beauty, song and grace,” 

“There wasn’t anything left to take from her, but her very life.”

“The women she thought of as parents completely destroyed her and then she faced Maleficent, the Mistress of All Evil, the most powerful enemy any of us have ever faced, utterly and completely alone.” The image on the mirror was frightening.

“All of us had at least an animal friend by our sides, we at least had the knowledge that someone out there cared for us and we cared for them. Even when my true love died in my arms, like yours, I knew my father loved me and the staff would be there for me, even if they were trapped forever, and I would stay with them.”

“She had nothing and no one.” There was Aurora at her vanity in the castle, weeping.

“She lost.” Aurora is on the floor.

“She never had a chance.” Maleficent laughing.

“Now everyone, including her, thinks she is weak.”

The mirror shows her resisting. Belle looks at me. “But she is strong, I know she is, for a moment she resisted. Could you honestly say that when Mother was dead, and Eugene was dead, your hair cut and powerless on the floor and Pascal hurt next to you that you could have faced Maleficent, that you could have resisted even for a moment, even on your home turf of the tower?”

“She could outshine us all, and she would deserve it. She needs an adventure of her own. Help her. Please.”

===  


~ End of Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note:  
> “Ring, ring! Who’s there? Destiny? I’ve been expecting your call.” ~ Rhino, Bolt
> 
> I wrote this as a start of one of those “getting to know the princesses” type pieces. I was also working on a Tangled x Sleeping Beauty crossover, but this changed everything. 
> 
> Briar Rose needs help. Characters are asking that she be helped. 
> 
> How could I help? 
> 
> I’m just a crippled, old, out of work engineer. I’m no knight on a white horse, I have no sword, but I have a metal keyboard and a white car, I guess that’s close.
> 
> I watched, really watched Sleeping Beauty and I was shocked at what I found. Something terrible happened and it has never been corrected, and as far as I can tell never even been noticed by anyone.
> 
> Disney, can you even see what you did to her? Can’t you see where she is? You left her story hanging at the end of Act 1; it’s been over 50 years and it’s like no one has watched the movie at all, even after a major restoration.
> 
> Dammit Disney! How dare you do that and not finish her story!
> 
> Why is Belle looking at me? Why is the Call To Adventure on my screen? Why am I hearing the National Geographic theme song in my head? What am I doing in an adventure story? My hero days ended in that car crash. Didn’t they? Am I nuts?
> 
> How can I not help? 
> 
> She needs help, a princess is in trouble. I am no knight in shining armor, but I seem to be all she’s got. I’m the only one that seems to have seen what happened and what didn’t happen. 
> 
> Saddle up, here I come! I may be Don Quixote, but this is going to be a story to remember!
> 
> Let the redemption of the Princess Aurora begin!


End file.
